Oatmeal Crisps and Mini Chips – The Easiest Cookies Ever

For years, I kept my electric stand mixer in the back of a kitchen cabinet. To retrieve the mixer, I had to kneel on the floor, reach into a dark corner, and drag the mixer forward without hitting or damaging anything. Retrieving the mixer was hard on my back and made me reluctant to use it. So I took the blender out of the cupboard and put it on the counter.

I had a white mixer lid handy and put it on the mixer to keep the bowls clean. Now I don’t even wear a cover. The mixer is by the stove, handy and ready to go. For small jobs, I use a hand mixer. It’s in the original box in front of a cabinet, again, where I can see it.

In many cultures, vacation time is baking time. Home cooks gather and bake coffee cakes, fruitcakes, breads, scones, and cookies. Minnesotans like me bake a variety of cookies and have cookie swaps. Each guest brings several dozen cookies to exchange. After coffee and conversation, everyone has a plate of cookies to take home.

I love to bake and have made dozens of cookie recipes. But this recipe is one of the easiest. You just need a bowl, a wooden spoon, a measuring cup and measuring spoons. Without mixer. The dough comes together in minutes and chills for at least an hour before baking. Because everyone in my family loves chocolate chips, that’s what I use. Shredded coconut or dried cranberries can be substituted for chocolate chips.

These cookies freeze well (we love them so much we eat them straight from the freezer), but they don’t ship well. Thin fries are too fragile to send to a college student or friend. Also, family members will probably gobble up the cookies and there won’t be any left over. Children will enjoy making these cookies. Of course, the best part of baking is tasting the cookies: fresh, fragrant, and hot from the oven.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup of regular flour previously sifted

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats (not steel cut or instant)

1 cup small chocolate chips

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup of water

METHOD

1. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Tear off a long strip of wax paper and lay it out on the counter.

2. Using a wooden spoon, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl.

3. Add the remaining ingredients and combine well. Chill one hour.

4. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

5. Spoon teaspoon-sized dough onto prepared baking sheet, leaving two inches between cookies.

6. Place pan on middle rack of oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes.

7. Let cookies rest 30 seconds before removing from pan. Cool on wax paper.

8. Store cookies in an airtight container. This recipe makes about 45 cookies.