Happy Family Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

One of my most favorite cookies to eat and bake are chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. There’s just so much you can do to them to make everyone happy – even going so far as to split the cookie dough up before adding anything special so everyone gets the additions they want. I’ve got three kids, it works well!

My personal favorite add-ins are chocolate chips, raisins and chopped walnuts. My husband and one of my daughters don’t like the raisins, and my other two daughters don’t like the walnuts. Oddly, everyone likes the chocolate chips. Can’t imagine where they get that. It’s also good with white chocolate chunks and craisins.

Anyway, I usually add chocolate chips to the entire batch, then just separate it into thirds (though not necessarily equal – I don’t need an entire batch just for me!) and add in the raisins and walnuts for me, just raisins in the second, and just walnuts for the rest. The kids like the special treat made “just for them,” and there are never any leftovers that go stale because half the family didn’t like what was in them!

Happy Family Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
3/4 c butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
Chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, raisins, white chocolate chips, craisins, etc.

In a large mixing bowl beat the butter for 30 seconds until creamy. Add sugars, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon and beat until combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined and add the flour. Stir in rolled oats, and other additions.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet (press down on each mound slightly if you want a flatter cookie, they won’t fall on their own) and bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Makes about 36 cookies.