Catfish Out of Water

Do you ever just have a long week and want a cookie? I'm kind of a cookie fiend. I can't keep butter in the house because I'll inevitably make cookies. If it was up to me? I'd have cookies all year round. We have this preconceived notion that cookies are only a winter food. When there's also eggnog and sugar plum fairies dancing in your head. There's a little bit of reprieve for Easter when the occasional bunny or egg shaped cookie prevails. They're kind of just the leftover thing at Birthday parties for those who don't think that cake should be the star of that show. But we really don't eat them much of the rest of the time. And every now and then I catch myself craving cookies and thinking, "Oh no, it's not winter yet." Which is a ludicrous notion. I understand not wanting to have the oven on all afternoon in the sweltering heat and wanting to warm up by the oven and a cozy fire in the wintry months. Although I'm still going to make oatmeal cookies in August.

Quaker has the quintessential oatmeal cookies recipe. It's been printed inside of the oatmeal container for decades. I don't even buy oatmeal for any purpose other than to make cookies. We all go into it thinking that we're going to make heart healthy porridge for breakfast or power bars for those camping trips that we're absolutely going to take. But let's be real. When I buy oatmeal? I'm going to make cookies with it.

Just don't expect me to add raisins. We're not kidding anyone with the dried fruit here. Oatmeal raisin cookies are not a health food. You turn grapes into wine, too. That doesn't make it good for you. You're also an adult. Add a pinch of salt. Or better yet, freshly crack some himalayan pink sea salt on top right before baking.

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Variations of Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal cookies are perhaps nostalgically, hands down my favorite cookie. I used to make them absolutely all of the time as a kid. They were definitely my comfort cookie of choice! Although I also have some other cookie choices up on the pantheon. Every winter I make Mexican Wedding Cookies and Peanut Butter Blossoms w/ Peppermint Kisses. These might be a little cliché. Although a lot of things only become staples because they are absolutely worth it and everyone knows is. Nevertheless, I am always looking for something fun and new to make cookie-wise. So, Scottish Lemon Shortbread Cookies definitely end up on the list of cookies that probably should make a greater appearance in the lineup.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Scottish Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Peanut Butter Blossoms w/ Peppermint Kisses

Oatmeal Cookies

These Oatmeal Cookies consist of butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and oats.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 2 dozen

Equipment

• Mixing Bowl Preferably 2
• Baking Sheet
• Oven

Ingredients

  

• 14 tbsp. butter preferably unsalted, softened (1/2 c. + 6 tbsp.)
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
• 3 c. oats

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Add softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a large bowl. Whisk until light and fluffy.

  There is also no over beating at this point! This is when you want to really go for it. Whisk until as light as possible. You won't be able to get them as fluffy as you would with cookie recipes that don't have peanut butter in them. But airiness during this step is absolutely essential. When you think that you've whisked them enough, whisk a little bit longer!
• Add the eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract. Mix until just barely incorporated.

  Do not over beat! It's better to have the egg not incorporated enough than too much. You just don't want the egg to be liquid on top.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together.

  This is highly recommended because it will help to incorporate more easily into the butter mixture, which is essential to getting the correct consistency of cookies. But I do skip it sometimes if I'm in a hurry! For me at home? I probably won't. When baking for other people? Yeah, I'll go the extra mile! It's not like it's that tedious or time consuming.
• Add the flour to the butter mixture and similarly just barely incorporate.

  This is the exact opposite of the butter mixing process! When you add flour, over mixing will make thee cookies dense and texturally unpleasant. In order to keep the airiness, mix as little as possible to stop seeing white pockets of flour.
• Gently fold in the oats.
• Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place 1 ½ inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Move cookies from the baking sheet to set completely.

Tips, Tricks, & Notes

• For more information on the Fundamentals of Baking Cookies, check out my article on the matter. For instance, I recommend making cookies by hand with a fork and adding slightly less flour than called for.