atmeal
cookies are a proverbial favorite with both kids and adults. This
recipe is loaded
with oats, which produces a crisp and chewy cookie that you can also
fill with chocolate chips (white or dark chocolate), dried fruits,
and/or chopped nuts. I found this recipe in Jane Rodmell's 'Best
Summer Weekends Cookbook' and it's a real winner. She even tells us
that we can make the batter ahead of time and leave it in the refrigerator
so we can make freshly baked cookies on demand.
There is always the
question of what type of rolled oats to use in baking; old-fashioned or
quick-cooking.
Both start with oats that are cleaned, toasted, and hulled
to become what we call oat groats. The difference between the two
is in the thickness of the oats after the oat groats have been steamed and flattened. Old-fashioned rolled oats are thicker because to make quick-cooking
rolled oats the oat groats are first cut into pieces before being
steamed and flattened. Although they are usually interchangeable
in recipes I do recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats in this recipe
as I prefer their
thicker texture and better flavor.
As a side
note; rolled oats were first produced in 1877 by The Quaker Mill Company
and are known for their distinctive cardboard canister with its red,
white and blue label. By 1884 the Quaker Mill Company began selling
their product, calling it "Quaker Oats". Incidentally, Quaker Oats is
said to have been not only the first packaged food in America but also
the first product to be mass marketed in the United States. And speaking
about Oatmeal Cookies. The first oatmeal cookie recipes contained just
one half cup of oatmeal. The recipes that we see today, that are loaded
with oats, are adaptations of a recipe first developed by The Quaker Oats
Company during the Second World War. That recipe also used vegetable
shortening instead of butter, which was in short supply, so if you see
recipes today calling for shortening you now know where that originated
To
toast nuts: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and toast nuts for
8-10 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop into
pieces. Set aside.
Line 2 baking
sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of
your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until
creamy and smooth (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract
and beat to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt,
and ground cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat
until incorporated. Stir in the nuts, oats, and dried cranberries or chocolate
chips.
For large cookies,
use 1/4 cup of batter (I like to use an ice cream scoop) and space the cookies
about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the baking sheet. Then wet your hand and
flatten the cookies slightly with your fingers so they are about 1/2 inch (1.25
cm) thick. Bake the cookies for about 12 - 15 minutes at
350 degrees F (177 degrees C), or until light
golden brown around the edges but still soft and a little wet in the centers. Remove from
oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before
transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
Makes about
20 - 24 large cookies
1 cup (110 grams) walnuts
or pecans, toasted and chopped (optional)
3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted
butter, room temperature
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atmeal
cookies are a proverbial favorite with both kids and adults. This
recipe is loaded
with oats, which produces a crisp and chewy cookie that you can also
fill with chocolate chips (white or dark chocolate), dried fruits,
and/or chopped nuts. I found this recipe in Jane Rodmell's 'Best
Summer Weekends Cookbook' and it's a real winner. She even tells us
that we can make the batter ahead of time and leave it in the refrigerator
so we can make freshly baked cookies on demand. 
