Outrageous Oatmeal Cookies

After taking my first bite of one of these cookies, I said to my boyfriend, "You know, I think these might be the best oatmeal cookies I've ever had." And seriously, I stand by that statement.

These are SO. GOOD.

Generally, I'm not a huge oatmeal cookie person. Give me a choice between a chocolate chip and an oatmeal, and I will always choose a chocolate chip. But if you told me that the oatmeal cookie was going to be one of these, I might just choose it instead.

Why are they so good, you wonder? I could tell just from the dough they were going to be good, but  I think why they're so good is a combination of the browned butter, and said browned butter being swirled around with the cinnamon while it's still hot. That just really opened up the flavors.

Now, they do have a tendency to get crumbly, but heck, if that's the case, get yourself some good vanilla ice cream and sprinkle those crumbles on top! Or even make yourself an oatmeal cookie ice cream sandwich. I didn't have any vanilla ice cream, but man that sounds amazing.

They also aren't going to stay moist for very long, but that's probably not going to be a problem, right? They're going to get eaten pretty quickly, duh.

Outrageous Oatmeal Cookies
Author: Jen @ Fresh From The…
Servings: 20 Cookies
Prep time: 00:15

Cook time: 00:20

Total time: 00:45

The best oatmeal cookies you'll ever have? You be the judge. For me, that's a yes.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups (9 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats

Instructions:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
2. Melt butter in 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat, swirling pan occasionally, until foaming subsides. Continue to cook, stirring and scraping bottom of pan with heat-resistant spatula, until milk solids are dark golden brown and butter has nutty aroma, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl, scraping skillet with spatula. Stir in cinnamon.
3. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, and oil to bowl with butter and whisk until combined. Add egg and yolk and vanilla and whisk until mixture is smooth. Using wooden spoon or spatula, stir in flour mixture until fully combined, about 1 minute. Add oats and stir until evenly distributed (mixture will be stiff).
4. Divide dough into 20 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared sheets, 10 dough balls per sheet. Using your damp hand, press each ball into 2 1/2-inch disk.
5. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until cookie edges are set and lightly browned and centers are still soft but not wet, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheet on wire rack for 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool completely.

Recipe via Cook's Illustrated

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Soft Oatmeal Cookies

It's Labor Day, which I hope means most of you are off work today. Yay to long weekends! I must say, it's been a bit hot here in LA lately, so baking anything has been a little bit on the "ugh" side when you live in a place with no air conditioning. Normally, it's fine because we get a decent breeze coming off the ocean a few miles away, but it's been especially humid this summer so... bluck!

Nonetheless, last night I was determined to make something to share with all of you, and my boyfriend made a request for oatmeal cookies. Now, if I'd had my druthers, I would probably have made some homemade brownies, but he is one of those crazy people who doesn't like chocolate. I know, right? Also, I didn't have enough chocolate to make the kind I wanted to make, so poo.

Anyhow, these soft oatmeal cookies are chewy and have a little hint of cinnamon. The BF is not the biggest fan of the cinnamon addition, but I kind of like it myself. It gives it a little extra bit of flavor without shouting at you that there's a bunch of cinnamon. To each their own! If you don't like cinnamon, then you can go ahead and omit it from the below recipe.

If you would like your cookies to not spread as much, go ahead and stick the dough in the fridge for a couple hours. I was not in the mood to wait around for refrigerated dough, so these ended up being a little bit flatter than I normally like. BUT! They still taste really good and are just as chewy and soft, so it's no big deal.

Soft Oatmeal Cookies
Author: Jen @ Fresh From The…
Servings: 15 Cookies
Prep time: 00:10 

Cook time: 00:15 

Total time: 00:25

For those who aren’t chocolate fans, but still want a classic cookie, look no further than these soft cookies stuffed with oatmeal.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
2. Cream together the butter and two sugars until combined (in a large bowl). Add in the eggs and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Next, stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and ground cinnamon, if your using it.
3. Finally, add in the oats and stir until combined. You can also put in any desired add-ins at this stage as well (i.e. raisins).
4. Scoop dough onto your cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes depending on the size of your cookies. They will be light brown in color. Remove from the oven and let sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to wire racks to cool completely. 

Recipe via What's Cooking America

I did not take photos of the whole process this time around, as I was baking them at night and you know those night pictures never turn out very well thanks to no natural light. So I hope you enjoy the pictures of just the final product this time around!

Psst! Hey you! You should totally go like my Facebook page. I'd love you forever and ever. Click and like: http://www.facebook.com/freshfromthe.com.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

You guys, I'm on a cookie frenzy lately! I don't know what the deal is, but I can't seem to make enough cookies. Perhaps I should've named my blog something to do with them at this rate. Because, yes, I've got another cookie recipe for you (and I just typed receipt instead of recipe, so I don't know what that tells you). This time, we take some peanut butter, some oatmeal, and some chocolate chips and mash them together into one delicious little devil. If you're not an oatmeal fan, not to fear, try my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies instead.

You want to know a secret? You can also make these sans chocolate chips for just a peanut butter oatmeal cookie. These no chocolate chip variety of cookies are pretty much the only thing my boyfriend will eat. He hates chocolate! I know, I know, he is missing out. Because personally, having had both the non-chips and the chips version of this particular cookie, I can say that I like the one with the chips more. They also happened to stay a bit softer longer after a couple days, so there's that too.

Quick story time - I did try to make you all something other than cookies recently. Namely, some strawberry coconut ice cream. Alas, it became a hard popsicle when put into the freezer, so it's back to the drawing board on that one. I just loooove the Trader Joe's Strawberry Coconut Ice Cream (which happens to be Vegan!), so I wanted to give it a go at home. But, I tried doing it without anything fancy like xanthan gum, which I think is probably what went wrong! Anyway, it still tasted pretty good, it was just super hard and not at all an ice cream consistency, apart from when it very first came out of the ice cream maker and was all soft-servy. Anyway! Maybe I will give it another try in the future. Or maybe I'll just buy more of the Trader Joe's variety. Hmm.

In the meantime, have this cookie!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 325F. Mix together the butter and two sugars until well-blended. You can do this with a mixer or by hand, just make sure you get all the butter mixed in there evenly. Then, mix in the peanut butter. Same deal. You can use crunchy or smooth, depending on your preference.
2. Next, mix in the egg, yolk, and vanilla. Then, add in the oats, baking soda and flour slowly and stir until just mixed together. If it's still a little on the too-smooth side, you can add in some more oats or flour, or if it feels too dry, add in some more peanut butter. Not a lot here, people, just enough to make it feel like traditional cookie dough. Then, finally, if you like chocolate, add in your chocolate chips. If you're not a chocolate fan, you can totally forgo them and just have yourself some peanut butter oatmeal cookies.
3. Scoop onto your cookie sheet. I used a silpat-lined one, but you don't have to here. I also use a cookie scoop to make my life easier. Bake at 325F for 10-12 minutes. They won't be super browned or anything. Take those out and let them sit on the sheet for another 5 minutes to finish baking through. You can then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling before starting up another batch.

(Recipe via Averie Cooks)

In photos:

 Mix together your butter and sugars. This can be done by hand or in a mixer.

Add in your peanut butter. I used crunchy.

And then it's time for your egg, yolk, and vanilla.

And finally your oats, baking soda, and flour. Add in chocolate chips at this point if you want all chocolate chip, but I decided to make some just plain peanut butter oatmeal.

These are some plain ones ready to go in the oven at 325F for 10-12 minutes.

And after they're done. Let them cool on the sheet for another 5 minutes.

Stick them on a wire rack to finish cooling.

And here are some with chocolate chips. Both versions are delicious!

Egg-less Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

What happens when you want to make some kind of baked good, but realize you don't have any eggs? You go looking through the vastness of the internet to find a recipe sans egg, of course. Because who wants to run to the grocery store when you were just there and forgot to get said eggs? Not this girl. The good news? There IS flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, vanilla and chocolate chips in the cupboards. Surely something can be done!

Lo, these egg-less oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! Now, I'm going to tell you straight. These aren't going to be like your normal cookies. They're a bit flatter, a bit easier to break apart. 'Cause, you know, eggs are a binder after all. But if you bake them just long enough, they will hold together okay. And if you don't, and they start breaking up all over the place? Why, just sprinkle those bits over some ice cream, duh!

Using quick cooking oats in this recipe gives these cookies a bit more crunch than using regular old-fashioned oats. In fact, it will make them just slightly reminiscent of these Lacy Oatmeal Cookies, but not quite as crispy crunchy.

These will make about 3 dozen of these flat, chewy, slightly crunchy cookies that have a nice vanilla flavor without being too sweet. And if you can't eat eggs? More's the better for you!

Also? A side note! This is my 500th post on the blog! Wow!

Egg-less Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cooking Directions

1. Beat together your butter, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the flour and salt and mix well.
2. Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water and add to the mixture, mixing until incorporated. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
3. Preheat your oven to 350F. Drop by teaspoonful onto parchment or silpat-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes until the edges are nice and brown. The middle will still be light in color. Let sit on the baking sheet for an additional five minutes to finish cooking through. Remove to a rack to cool completely.

(Recipe via allrecipes.com)

In photos:

Butter, sugars and vanilla get mixed together.

Then you add in your flour and salt.

Add in your dissolved baking soda/water combo.

And hand mix in your quick cooking oats.

And, of course, your chocolate chips. Cover that and stick it in the fridge for at least an hour.

And then preheat your oven to 350F. Using a parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet, place your cookie balls and stick that in the oven for 11-13 minutes.

As you can see, If it another row in later. They will be browned around the edges, but not super brown in the middle. Let those sit on the pan for another 5 minutes to finish cooking.

They will deflate and compact down into this.

Lacy Oatmeal Cookies

Every family has their Christmas cookie traditions. Mine is all about peanut butter balls. Seriously, those are good. But recently I was introduced to these special cookies via my boyfriend. These lacy oatmeal cookies were his absolute favorite holiday cookies growing up, and we were actually able to get the recipe from his grandma to try out for ourselves. I can't believe I'd never heard or even had these cookies before! A shame, because they are really delicious. And deliciously addictive. Oh yes, you can't just stop at one.

The recipe itself is deceptively easy. Some basic ingredients get whipped together in your mixer in just a few minutes, and then it's smooth sailing, right? Well! Let me lay down some knowledge on you - these cookies take love. These cookies take patience. Are they worth it? Absolutely. But you're going to need time, and it would be really helpful if you have two cookie sheets to use if you want the baking to not take all day. Just laying it down, man. You need to know before you try to start these at 9pm or something. Don't do that.

These cookies are really thin and flat, and that's the way they're supposed to be, so if you make them, don't be disconcerted when that happens. You're doing it right! And being so thin and light, you can totally eat four in a row and it's totally just like one regular cookie!

Lacy Cookies
Author: Jen @ Fresh From The…
Servings: 40 Cookies
Prep time: 00:10
Cook time: 00:09
Total time: 01:00

Super thin and light cookies, you may have had these at the holidays growing up. Makes a TON!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups quick cooking oats

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes or so on medium-high speed. Next, add in the rest of the ingredients and beat until incorporated, on medium-low speed.
2. Line your cookie sheet(s) with heavy foil, shiny side up. Place level teaspoon-sized dollops of dough spaced at least two inches apart. You can usually get around 9-10 on a sheet.
3. Bake for 6-9 minutes until the cookies have flattened out and the edges are golden. Let cool COMPLETELY on the foil, then remove. You can re-use the foil for more cookies.

In Photos:

Butter and sugar get creamed together.

Add in the rest of the ingredients, it will look something like this.

This looks like a normal amount of dough, but just you wait. This will make a TON of cookies.

I forgot to take a picture of what they look like before they go in the oven and spread. But, for reals, use your measuring teaspoon to plop these out onto the foil. ONLY a teaspoon will get you this size! And only use foil! This is going to make A LOT of cookies, so if you have more than one cookie sheet, get them doubled up in there to bake. It will go much faster.

Make sure you cook them long enough and let them sit on the foil long enough before you try to remove them, or you will get something like this happening. Cookies stuck to foil. Is there such thing as non-stick foil? Because you may want to use that. Just keepin' it real.

Once they've COMPLETELY cooled, peel or pop them off carefully. Mine did not all turn out in pretty circles, but they still taste good. You can then re-use that foil for more batches.

Eat all of these! You've earned it!