Oatmeal Cookie Goodness

They were wrapped for transport before
I thought to snap a shot.

If you work for me or with me there's a pretty solid chance I'm going to bake you some kind of deliciousness for your birthday. 

I'll let you pick what you'd like and I'll happily do my best to comply. I was asked for oatmeal cookies, or anything old fashioned, just to avoid chocolate. I know! Craziness. Who doesn't like chocolate? But your wish is my command or so it is when it comes to birthday treats.

I did what I do, which is I get on the internet and look up 3 or 6 recipes and see what works for me.

I made these jumbo cookies, from Cook's Illustrated, which you'd think would be perfect because it's Cook's Illustrated and they just weren't. I think they were as advertised, but they weren't what I was looking for. Too puffy, too domed.

You see once upon a time I baked at a bakery.

I did other things at that shop too, because they had pizza and subs and vegetarian soups (a bit of an identity crisis if you ask me-but it continues to work for the joint). At said joint I created THE best oatmeal raisin cookie. But for the life of me I couldn't find a similar one on the internet.

You may ask how can a girl know which recipe is which especially after 11 years away from the ovens?

There was a unique technique for these cookies that I'd never seen in other recipes. You mix the baking soda with water then mix it to the creamed butter and sugar. Well, hours on the computer looking and getting distracted I had an epiphany.

Wait for it.....

I looked in a cookbook on my shelf and BOOM there it was. I've gotten rid of many cookbooks over the years but this one is great. It's The Wooden Spoon Dessert Book by Marilyn M. Moore. I will have it in my home forever. I took her recipes as written below and made it my own back in the day and again this week for Andrew.

OLD FASHIONED OATMEAL COOKIES

1 c. shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
.75 c. granulated sugar
.75 c. brown sugar
.75 tsp. salt
.75 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
1 baking soda, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1.5 c. flour
3 c. rolled oats (old fashioned, not instant)
1 t. sea salt

Cream shortening with vanilla and sugars. Add salt, cinnamon and eggs. Blend well. Add baking soda which has been mixed with water. Add flour. Combine well. Add oats until mixed.

Scoop onto cookie sheets. Flatten with the bottom of cup and sprinkle with salt.
Bake @350 for 9-13 minutes until the edges are light brown.

If you want raisins add 1 cup with the oats.

These are perfectly chewy in the middle and crunchy on the edges. They have cracked tops and are pretty as can be.

What recipe have you been with obsessed with recreating or finding from your past?