Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I decided the other day to make a cookie box for the group at our local small town post office.  They get lots of gifts at Christmas time, so I thought I'd give them a little Christmas in August.  I have a batch of my favorite Espresso Mint Cookies (see 8-14-12 post) ready and now I just need to come up with something with nuts.

I ran across this recipe the other day.  The blogger used margarine instead of butter stating the margarine results in a chewier cookie.  Since this recipe makes a relatively small batch, I thought I'd make two batches, one using butter and one using margarine.  I also had some light brown sugar and dark brown sugar.  So the first batch I made used margarine and light brown sugar and the second batch used butter and dark brown sugar.

Honestly, I couldn't tell any difference between the texture or the taste.  So I'd use whichever you have on hand.  I think the oatmeal gives either batch that wonderful chewiness.  Anyway you go, you'll have a cookie just about anyone will appreciate.

CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES (makes about 2 dozen)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.  Beat together butter/margarine and sugars in a large bowl until combined.  Add egg and vanilla then beat until combined.

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt and then add to wet ingredients in 2 batches, mixing until just combined before adding the next batch.  Add oats and chocolate chips then mix until just combined.

Drop 1 1/2 Tbsp of dough onto cookie sheets then flatten slightly with fingertips and bake for 8-12 minutes (mine went for 12 minutes.....I rotated the cookie sheet at 8 minutes then baked for another 4 minutes) or until golden brown around the edges and set on top.  Rap baking sheet against a flat surface to deflate cookies then let cool for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Recipe Source:  www.iowagirleats.com