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Famous Oatmeal Cookies

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Submitted by chucklebunny

Famous oatmeal cookies with 3 cups of rolled oats, brown sugar, and vanilla. A big-batch base recipe that yields 5 dozen and welcomes raisins, chocolate chips, nuts, or coconut mix-ins.

YIELD

60 servings

PREP

15 min

COOK

15 min

READY

30 min

This is the oatmeal cookie recipe you keep on a card in the drawer because it works every single time. Three cups of rolled oats give these cookies a hearty chew, while the brown sugar and vanilla create that warm, caramel-scented flavor that makes oatmeal cookies irresistible.

The base dough is intentionally bare bones: shortening, two sugars, egg, water, vanilla, oats, flour, salt, and baking soda. No spices, no add-ins, no complications. This clean slate is designed to take whatever mix-in you throw at it. One cup of raisins, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, coconut, or any combination. Your call.

The ¼ cup of water in the dough is easy to overlook but it matters. It creates steam during baking that puffs the cookies slightly and keeps the centers chewy while the edges crisp. Without it, you’d get a denser, flatter cookie.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls for five dozen smaller cookies that bake evenly in 12 to 15 minutes. Light golden brown means done. They firm up on the cooling rack.

Chef Tips

  • Quick oats make a smoother cookie. Old-fashioned oats give more visible texture and chew. Both work.
  • Don’t overbake. Pull them when they look barely golden. Carryover heat finishes the job on the rack.
  • Store tightly covered to keep them chewy. Exposed oatmeal cookies go stale and crispy within a day.
  • Room temperature shortening creams faster and smoother. Cold shortening leaves lumps.

Variations

  • Oatmeal raisin: Add 1 cup raisins and 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the base dough.
  • Oatmeal chocolate chip: Fold in 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips for the crowd favorite.
  • Kitchen sink: Add ½ cup each of raisins, chocolate chips, and chopped walnuts for a loaded cookie.

Ingredients

¾ 177
1 237
CUP ML BROWN SUGAR
firmly packed *
½ 118
CUP ML SUGAR
granulated
1 1
LARGE EACH EGG
¼ 59
CUP ML WATER
1 5
TEASPOON ML VANILLA EXTRACT
3 710
CUPS ML ROLLED OAT
quick or old-fashioned, uncooked
1 237
1 5
TEASPOON ML SALT
optional
½ 2.5
TEASPOON ML BAKING SODA

Directions

Heat oven to 350℉ (180℃).

Beat shortening, sugar, egg, water and vanilla until creamy.

Add combined oats, flour, salt and baking soda; mix well.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown.

Remove to cooling rack; cool completely.

Store tightly covered.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

MY OWN SPECIAL COOKIES: Add 1 cup of any or a combination of the following ingredients to basic cookie dough: raisins, chopped nuts, chocolate chips or coconut.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 13g (0.5 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 45 13% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 45mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars g
Protein 3g
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0% Iron 3%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Low Fat, Low in Saturated Fat, Low Cholesterol, Trans-fat Free, Low Carb, Low Sodium
 

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