The holiday season is under way so it is time for baking and exchanging cookies. Homemade cookies are a special treat at this time of year and very easy to make. I only like chewy cookies so this recipe is perfect. The base for this recipe is from Quaker’s vanishing Oatmeal cookie recipe with some variations and changes that make it even better. All of the dough can be baked at once or frozen and baked later. Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think.

Serving size: Varies by the size of the cookies made

Active time: 20 minutes

Refrigeration time: minimum of 1 hour

Inactive time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 C. unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 C. brown sugar, packed

1/2 C. granulated sugar 

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1 1/2 C. all purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

3 C. Oats, uncooked

12 oz. Craisins, soaked and rehydrated

12 oz. White chocolate or white baking chips

Procedures:

1. In a medium size bowl place the Craisins and cover them in warm water and set them to the side.

2. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until well combined, light, and fluffy.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter/sugar mixture and beat until well combined.

4. In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and oats.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in thirds mixing thoroughly with a rubber spatula or spoon between each addition.

6. Pour the water off of the Craisins. Add the white chocolate, the Craisins, and fold them into the dough until both are evenly distributed.

7. Cover the dough with wax paper, parchment, or saran wrap making sure it touches the surface of the dough.

8. Place the dough into the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour.

9. While the dough is in the refrigerator preheat the oven to 350 F.

10. After the dough has chilled, prepare a sheet pan with a silmat or parchment.

11. Decide what size you want your cookies to be and place them on the sheet pan. I suggest not cooking more than a dozen at a time so the cookies don’t touch.

12. Place the sheet pan in the oven, bake for 5 minutes, rotate the pan, and cook for 5 minutes more.

13. Remove the pan from the oven, allow the cookies to rest for 1 minute before removing them, and place the cookies on a rack to cool completely.

14. Either repeat with more batches or shape the dough, place it into a freezer bag or a freezer proof tubberware container and freeze for up to 6 months.

Notes and Variations:

• Crack eggs into a separate bowl before adding them to the sugar/butter mixture.
• Spices can be added to the dough.
• Oil can be substituted for the butter.
• Frozen dough should be defrosted prior to baking.
• Rotating the pan enables the cookies to bake evenly.
• C=cups
• T=tablespoons
• t=teaspoons
• oz=ounces