These are my all-time favorite oatmeal cookies. They’re beautiful to look at, delicious to eat, and simple to make. Plus I love their texture! They’re crispy on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside.
This recipe has been in my family for longer than I have. It was originally called Gum Drop Cookies, and you’re supposed to add a cup of chopped gum drops to the batter right before baking. My mom never used the gum drops (which was fine with me since I don’t like them). So we just called them Oatmeal Cookies.
Over the years, I’ve probably tried more experiments with this recipe than any other. The first was substituting butter for shortening. The cookies still tasted good, but they lost the wonderful texture. … Then several years ago, I got the idea that since the original recipe used gum drops, I could try adding chopped Starburst fruit chews instead. NOT A GOOD IDEA! They melted right out of the cookies while they were baking and made a nasty mess on my cookie sheet. … My next endeavor was with Skittles. Again, a miserable failure; they weren’t quite as bad as the Starbursts, but they dissolved in baking.
So the bottom line is, don’t mess with a good thing, and these cookies are a really GOOD thing!
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup shortening
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups oatmeal
- ½ cup coconut
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats, and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, oats, coconut, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together sugars and shortening until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes at high speed). Add eggs, and beat for another 2 or 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl frequently. Add dry ingredients, and mix just enough to incorporate.
- Drop by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on pan for 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks.
- Yields 48 (3 inch) cookies
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats, and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together
2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
½ cup coconut
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup shortening
Beat until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes at high speed).
Add
2 eggs
Beat for another 2 or 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl frequently.
Add dry ingredients, and mix just enough to incorporate.
Drop by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
. Allow to cool on pan for 2 minutes, then …
… remove to wire racks.
These gorgeous cookies are delicious on they’re own, and …
… even better with a glass of cold milk.
Try them for yourself!