Delicious Oatmeal “Plus” Cookies

This post was originally published on my blog, Muses of a Mom, on April 9, 2020, but republished here with updated information.

Does this conversation happen at your house?

ME: “Cookies sound good today. What do you think?”

SON #1: “Chocolate!”

SON #2: “Nothin’ with nuts!”

While my kids’ favorite is chocolate chip, this particular day I wanted to change it up. After surveying the pantry and seeing three containers of oatmeal (why we had three, I have no clue) and sadly no chocolate chips, my decision was made: oatmeal cookies.

Without a go-to recipe for oatmeal cookies, I dug out my old Better Homes & Garden cookbook (1996) and found a cookie that fit the bill: it used a good amount of oatmeal, but not as much flour.

To make everyone in my family happy with cookies, I started with this basic recipe from the cookbook. (Keep scrolling to see my twist to give them a “plus.”)

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 stick margarine (I use butter), softened
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients except oats, flour, and raisins in a large bowl.
3. Stir in oats, flour, raisin, small amounts at a time until fully mixed.
4. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake 9-11 minutes until light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. 

Note: Keep an eye on the cookies – start with 9 minutes. When I make these again, I will bake at 350 degrees and add a couple minutes of baking time.

For my PLUS: This is what I changed up with this basic oatmeal cookie dough:

• First, I baked 12 cookies of the recipe with just raisins (for Son #2 who ordered “no nuts”),
• For the second half of the dough, I added 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, plus
• 1/4 cup (or so) of shredded coconut to the mixture and baked the rest of the dough (for everyone else).