Oatmeal Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you can’t decide between an oatmeal cookie, a chocolate chip cookie, or a walnut cookie, this is the answer. The trifecta gives you the chewiness of oatmeal cookies, the gooey pockets of melted chocolate, and the textural snap of walnuts all in one bite.

Using a combination of granulated and brown sugar isn’t optional. The brown sugar’s molasses content is what gives these cookies their chew and prevents them from crisping up too much. Granulated sugar provides the necessary spread and crisp edges. The 50/50 ratio is the sweet spot.

Vegetable shortening (rather than butter) is what most old-school cookie recipes use. Shortening has a higher melting point than butter, so the cookies hold their shape and don’t spread into thin lacy puddles. They end up taller and chewier as a result. Substitute butter for a flatter, crisper cookie.

The tablespoon of water might seem unnecessary, but it’s doing a real job. It activates the oats slightly so they soften during baking instead of staying gritty. Skip it and the cookies will feel like there’s sand in them.

Use quick-cooking oats as listed. Old-fashioned rolled oats stay too chewy in this format. Quick oats are slightly crushed, which lets them integrate better.

Pro Tips

• Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for 5 minutes before chopping. The flavor is dramatically better.
• Don’t overbake. Pull them when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone. They firm up on the pan.
• Cool 2 minutes on the pan before transferring to a rack to prevent breaking.
• Store with a slice of bread in the container to keep them soft for days.

Variations

• Substitute pecans for the walnuts.
• Use a mix of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and white chocolate chips for a triple-chocolate version.
• Add ½ cup raisins or dried cranberries along with the chocolate chips for fruit-and-chocolate cookies.