Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Chewy cookies from the Quaker Oats lid

I love this recipe. If you're lucky you'll find it under the lid of Quaker Oats, either rolled or quick-cooking. But I had both kinds in my pantry and neither of them had the choc-oat-chip recipe — just oatmeal raisin. Luckily there's google and a link to the lid recipe. I followed the recipe pretty closely, but I'll still tell you my little tweaks below. You're one step closer to cookies!

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CHEWY OATMEAL CHOCOALTE CHIP COOKIES

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
2 sticks butter, softened (I used one salted, one unsalted)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar (I used light brown)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 TBS milk
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 and 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (optional, depending on if you use salted butter)
dash of cinnamon (up to 1/8 tsp), plus extra for sprinkling
2 and 1/2 cups oats (I used 2 cups rolled, 1/2 cup quick)
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla and beat well. 

2. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt (if using). Mix well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture and mix until just combined. Add oats, chocolate chips, and nuts (if using) and mix. 

3. On an un-greased baking sheet, drop rounded 1 TBS balls of dough (you can fit 12 on one sheet). Bake for 9 to 10 minutes for a chewy cookie, 12 to 13 for crispy (this will vary depending on your oven — I baked mine for 12 and they are still chewy 3 days later). 

4. Remove from oven and sprinkle tops with cinnamon. Let cool on the baking sheet for one or two minutes, then place on cooling rack. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container.

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Why sprinkle cinnamon on top? If you want a softer cookie, just the edges should be golden when you remove them from the oven. The centers are light, soft, and gooey — and not very pretty. Sprinkling them with cinnamon not only adds nice flavor, but also adds color.

Another thing to note: You can switch up the mix-ins. Use dark chocolate chips, white chocolate and dried cranberries, pecans, or M&Ms for some rainbow magic. Also, although you can use all quick-cooking oats, I wouldn't. Use mostly (or all) old fashioned rolled oats — they lend a much better texture and appearance!