Oatmeal cookies!

Did someone say “oatmeal cookies”? Why yes.

Silence Dogood here. I wrote a post about oatmeal last week (“Eat your oatmeal (this means you)”), and a reader mentioned that his favorite way to enjoy oatmeal was in oatmeal cookies. Our friend Ben and I also happen to love oatmeal cookies, so I thought I’d share my two favorite recipes for them today. They’re quite different, but both are yummy and easy to make (and, needless to say, eat). Try them and let me know what you think!

                Silence’s Chocolate Chip Toffee Oatmeal Cookies

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups unbleached flour

2 cups oats

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

10 ounces Skor English toffee bits

Cream butter with sugars, add eggs and vanilla. Put in dry ingredients, stirring vigorously to blend. Add oats, chocolate chips and toffee. Mix well. (Add a bit of milk if needed for thinning; the dough should be stiff but not unworkable.) Round out into tablespoon size and bake 15 minutes (or less) at 350 degrees F. Makes 4 dozen.

                      Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour [I use unbleached—Silence]

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup raisins [I think golden raisins are especially pretty in these cookies—Silence]

1 cup dried cranberries (craisins) or coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries [I use dried—Silence]

1 12-ounce package vanilla chips [I’ve only found white chocolate chips, which are just fine in this recipe—Silence]

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture. Stir in oats, raisins and cranberries. Stir in vanilla chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Cool on wire racks. Yield: 6 dozen.

The first recipe is obviously my own and is my go-to recipe for oatmeal cookies; the other came from a Christmas festival at historic Stahl’s Pottery in the nearby Powder Valley of scenic PA. Both are really, really good. Enjoy!

             ‘Til next time,

                            Silence