Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

1¾ cups old-fashioned oatmeal

1 cup flour                         

¾ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda                    

½ tsp. salt

10 T. butter, softened         

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

4 oz. milk chocolate, melted

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place 1 cup oatmeal in food processor and process until well ground like flour, about 30 seconds.  Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Cream butter and brown sugar.  Add egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.  Add melted chocolate.  Add flour mixture.  Add remaining ¾ cup oatmeal, chocolate chips and nuts.

Roll 2 T. of dough into balls and space 2” apart on baking sheets.  Bake 13-17 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking time, until cookies are cracked and set on top, but look moist within cracks.

Comment:  Better to under-bake than over-bake.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 cups flour                        2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda               ¼ cup milk

1 tsp. salt                             ½ cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar                          3 eggs

1 cup shortening/margarine

1 pkg. chocolate chips

1 cup nuts, chopped

Directions:  Sift together dry ingredients.  Cream shortening, sugars, eggs and vanilla.  Gradually add dry ingredients alternating with milk.  Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.  Drop from teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Comment:  Grandma Ida Romer’s recipe.   Our favorite chocolate chip cookies!

Christmas Sugar Cookies

 3 cups flour                         2 tsp. cream of tarter

1 tsp. baking soda               ½ tsp. salt

1 cup shortening                 2 eggs

1 cup sugar                         1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:  Sift dry ingredients.  Cut in shortening.  Add eggs, sugar, and vanilla.  Roll out on floured board. Cut into shapes.  Place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.   Cool.  Decorate.

Comment:  Can substitute 1 cup shortening for ½ cup shortening and ½ cup butter.

Monster Cookies

½ cup margarine, softened         3 eggs

1 cup brown sugar                             1 cup sugar

1 ½ cups peanut butter               1 tsp. vanilla

4 ½ cups oatmeal                        2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips                  1 cup M&Ms candy  

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine margarine, eggs, sugars, peanut butter, and vanilla.  Gradually add oatmeal and baking soda.  Stir in chocolate chips and M&Ms. 

Drop batter onto greased cookie sheets.  Bake 8 minutes.  Check cookies by inserting spatula under edge of one cookie and lifting gently.   If it bends, it needs more time.  If cookie stays flat, it’s ready to come out.  Leave on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

Comment:  There is no flour in these cookies.  When Mom makes these, Eric is a happycamper.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

½ cup vegetable oil                   

2 cups sugar                       

2 tsp. vanilla                      

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

4 eggs                                        

2 cups sifted flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt                   

½ cup nuts, chopped

Sifted powdered sugar

Directions:  Cream oil, sugar and vanilla.  Beat in eggs; then melted chocolate.  Stir in dry ingredients.  Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, blending well.  Stir in nuts.  Chill 2-3 hours.   Form 1” balls.  Roll in powdered sugar.  Place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Comment:  Family favorite.