Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies

Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. Also super-hearty-could-pass-for-a-breakfast-cookie.

Three things:

1. Chances are, if you make these for your kids for boxed lunches, they won't actually get to eat them, because you'll eat them first.
2. These stale quickly (or maybe it's just my altitude and arid climate). You might want to put a chunk of apple or something in an airtight container with them. Added bonus=a little apple essence added to the other flavors!
3. My recipe alterations were mainly to deal with altitude, so if you're not altitude impaired, you might want to take a look at the original recipe here (also, weird, they've changed the recipe a little since the last time I bought Quaker Oats).
   

Here's the recipe:

Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies *click here for printable version*
adapted from Quaker “Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies”
yield: approx. 3 dozen large cookies

1 c. butter, softened
⅔ c. firmly packed brown sugar
⅓ c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
3 c. rolled oats
4-5 c. add-ins (chopped nuts, chocolate chips, toasted coconut, dried fruits, whatever you like)

Preheat oven to 375.

With mixer on medium-high, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well incorporated. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl. With mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture along with 2 tsp water. Mix well. Stir in add-ins.

Drop by large spoonfuls (or #20 ice cream scoop) onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Use spatula to flatten dome of dough. Bake for approx. 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes on pan, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

And here's what my "4-5 c. add-ins" was made up of:

1/2 c. toasted, chopped almonds

1/2 c. toasted, chopped walnuts

1/4 c. toasted, chopped hazelnuts

1 c. toasted coconut

1 c. chocolate chips

1/2 c. white chocolate chips

1 c. dried cherries

Now you believe me when I say "super hearty" right?

TGIP Rating--Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies--KEEPER...although...I might still tweak this one a little. I might try honey in place of some of the sugar. And I might try another egg or more butter. I think the mixture might have been just a little too dry to begin with, so staling (yes, a word) happened faster than I expected.

Next up: "Mounds" Pie. Coconut and dark chocolate, YES.