How to Make Delicious Holiday Oatmeal Cookies

These aren't your typical oatmeal cookie. These are rich, almost gooey, with coziness infused right into the heart. Forget what you know about oatmeal cookies--these really taste nothing any you've had before. Perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings, these tough cookies will demolish any competition. Apple pie? Chocolate chip cookies? Pumpkin pie? Bring 'em on--this recipe will usurp the title of "Favorite Family Dessert," the very first time you make them.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup oats
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla
• optional:
• Rolling pin
• Wax paper
• Cookie molds
• Colored sugar

Cookie Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients together. Slowly fold in the wet ingredients. Add the butter first until it is soft and well-mixed. Mix them all together until you have a thick batter.

3. Pour granulated sugar into a separate bowl. Then, scoop the batter into 1" balls and dip them into the sugar. Bake the cookies (sugar side up) on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops appear brown. For cookies with a more gooey center, bake for slightly less time. For a crisper cookie, bake longer.

4. Allow the cookies to cool a bit on a wire rack--if you can resist. Bite into cookie. Savor and enjoy. Bite into another cookie. And another. The recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.

How to Customize the Cookies for the Holidays

5. To make them holiday-themed, a slight variation is required. Prepare the cookie batter as mentioned in steps 1-2 above. Stop before reaching step 3.

6. Instead of scooping balls of batter, roll the batter onto wax paper using a rolling pin.

7. Shape the cookie batter using festive molds, such as turkeys, Christmas trees or other fun shapes. Sprinkle with colored sugar, and bake for 10-12 minutes. If you rolled your cookies very flat, they will bake faster. Check them periodically.

Tips & Warnings

• Feel free to add chocolate chips, raisins or butterscotch chips to your batter.
• For crispier cookies, use melted butter instead of soft butter--stick it in the microwave for a few seconds first.
• If you add nuts, be sure to tell people--allergies can be severe!