Oatmeal is Health Food, Have Another Cookie

This is an Everything Cookie!

Saturday was National Oatmeal Cookie Day. Honestly, I don’t need much more encouragement than that to make a big batch of the good stuff, but saw a chance to combine gluttony with hospitality and volunteered to bring cookies to a party that evening.

Friends, I made 4 different kinds. I mean, if one oatmeal cookie is good, four dozen are better, amirite? Each flavor had its own fan club. Me, I like to spread the love around – they are all my favorites.

• Raisins Only
• Raisins & Pecans
• Cranberry with White Chocolate Drizzle
• Everything – nuts, raisins, cranberries, and chocolate chips

I’m a little embarrassed to share “my” recipe with you – it’s the one on the Quaker Oats package with no changes except my add-ins. It’s been a consistently great recipe all these years, so why mess with it.

However I’m tickled pink to share my cookie conveyance and presentation system with you AKA the cookie suitcase. How cute is this?! 

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The wicker case is part of a picnic set; I made dividers out of folded card stock. Paper muffin cups held the cookies neatly in place and post-its were used to identify the flavors. As a person who leads an extremely messy, non-Pinterest-ready lifestyle I have to say, this little project makes me want to show-and-tell.

So please click the photos below to enlarge them and read the captions.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Recipe Source: Quaker Oats

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
• 3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
• 1 cup raisins

NOTE: You can add to or swap out the raisins if you wish. Options may include chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, dried fruits such as cranberries or apricots. Aim to keep the total quantity of add-ins to about 1 to 1½ cups in total.  
 
DIRECTIONS:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy, about 4 minutes.
• Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
• With a whisk, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl. Add to mixer; beat well.
• Add oats and raisins; mix well.
• Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets (use a Silpat if you prefer).
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Rotate sheets in oven about halfway through.
• Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.
• Store tightly covered.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.