Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Raise your hand if you don't like raisins in stuff!!

I know that the line is well defined. There are those that like oatmeal raisin cookies and there are those that like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I will tell you that I have never intentionally eaten an oatmeal raisin cookie. There have been times when I have tentatively bitten into one and then slowly picked the raisins out to enjoy the cookie as it should be, without raisins. Down with raisins!!

I came up with this recipe when I was living in New York State, still a singleton. I was going over to my girlfriend's house and offered to take dessert. Cookies = Dessert to my 23 year old self. I had chocolate chips and oatmeal, but no recipe. I just made some general assessments of what would be needed, using some basic ideas I knew from making cookies from recipes on the back of boxes and bags in the past and threw it all together. This was before I had my stand mixer, so I mixed all of the ingredients with a wooden spoon. I took those cookies to my friends house and she declared they were the very best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies she has ever had. Hmmmm....Did anyone just see my head grow a teeny bit bigger?

Here's the recipe. I still use a wooden spoon to mix it all together even though I have the fancy electrics now.

Throw together some sugar, brown sugar and butter and mix it together really well.

 Add in a couple of eggs and then add some vanilla.

Sift in the dry ingredients, minus the oats and chips.

Mix in the oats and then stir in the chocolate chips.

I'm not afraid of raw eggs. I appreciate a good cookie dough and eat this one with much enthusiasm. I encourage it. Once you've stopped eating the dough, take a tablespoon and scoop out a big helping. On a large cookie sheet, you should fit about 8 scoops.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 48 cookies
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 heaping cups quick oats
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugars until smooth.
2. Add in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla.
3. In a sifter, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Sift dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Stir the two mixtures until the dry ingredients are combined.
4. Add in oatmeal and then add in the chocolate chips. 
5. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden. 
6. Remove from oven and let sit on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Move cookies to cooling rack.