Spiced Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

In my house, when I mention "making cookies" I always get multiple responses. I'm usually thinking warm, soft chocolate chip cookies. My sons are thinking snickerdoodles. My daughter doesn't care, as long as she gets to help. She usually wants to make "something special for daddy" though! And then there is Dad. His request? It is Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies every time. With coconut, if you please.

Over the last few years, I've tried a few different recipes, but we think we've found perfection in this combination.  The addition of cinnamon and nutmeg adds a gentle flavor without overpowering the chocolate or oats. You can add raisins, chocolate chips, coconut, even cinnamon or butterscotch chips would be good.

The batter is a little crumbly, but don't worry, they bake just fine!  Another plus is that the dough doesn't spread very much, so you can fits a lot on the baking sheet, and even form them in fun shapes! I use a cookie scoop, and then press them down a little bit.Cook them until they are golden, and look a little gooey. They'll cool down into perfectly baked, soft, yummy cookies!

Spiced Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies 
The Double Dipped Life

1/2 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1 egg

1 teas vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teas baking soda

1 teas cinnamon

Freshly grated nutmeg-just a bit

1/2 teas salt

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture. Blend until combined. Stir in the oats, chocolate and any other add-ins.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  You can bake them right away, but I prefer to chill the dough.Chilling dough helps the cookies rise, and not be flat.

When you are ready to bake, spoon about a Tb of dough into a round ball, leaving space between each cookie. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes. Take them out when they are golden at the edges but still a little under baked in the middle. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for two minutes before transferring them to cooling rack.

Enjoy with a tall glass of cold milk!

Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oats

Steel Cut Oats are one of my favorite breakfast foods. They are heartier than regular oats, and have more fiber, so you stay fuller longer!  They do take longer than regular oatmeal, so I only get them once in awhile.The best part is that, like regular oatmeal, you can add any flavor or mix-in to your oats.  I made them this weekend, and as I was finishing it, inspiration hit. Why not add Pumpkin? After all, everything else I ate this weekend had pumpkin in it! I realize that I have never posted a basic recipe for Steel Cut Oats, so I'm including that as well!

Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oats 

The Double Dipped Life 

3 1/2 cups water

1 cup steel cut oats

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup skim milk (or water, but milk is creamier)

1 teas vanilla

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup pumpkin

2 teas. pumpkin pie spices

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the oats and salt, stir. 

2. Reduce the heat to medium low, and cook for 30 minutes.  Add in the milk and vanilla. Stir, and cook for 5 more minutes.

3. Add in the brown sugar, pumpkin, and pie spices. Cook for 5 more minutes. 

Serve hot. Leftovers can be reheated. Just add a little milk, and warm in the microwave!

Basic Steel Cut Oats 

3 1/2 cups water

1 cup steel cut oats

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup skim milk (or water, but milk is creamier)

1 teas vanilla

Toppings include: cinnamon, coconut, tropical fruit, fruit, raisins, etc! 

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the oats and salt, stir. 

2. Reduce the heat to medium low, and cook for 30 minutes.  Add in the milk and vanilla. Stir, and cook for 10 more minutes.

3. Add in your desired toppings and stir.

Serve hot. Leftovers can be reheated. Just add a little milk, and warm in the microwave!

My stand-by Steel Cut Oats recipe is Maple and Brown Sugar.  Here is your 3rd recipe of the day! 

Steel Cut Oats 

Maple and Brown Sugar version

The Double Dipped Life

3 1/2 cups water

1 cup steel cut oats

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup skim milk (or water, but milk is creamier)

1 teas vanilla

1/4- 1/2 cup maple syrup (Please use Real maple!) 

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Other toppings include: cinnamon, coconut, tropical fruit, fruit, raisins, etc! 

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the oats and salt, stir. 

2. Reduce the heat to medium low, and cook for 30 minutes.  Add in the milk and vanilla. Stir, and cook for 5 more minutes.

3. Add in the maple syrup and brown sugar. Cook for 5 more minutes.  If you are using other toppings, Cook for 10 minutes before adding toppings. 

Serve hot. Leftovers can be reheated. Just add a little milk, and warm in the microwave!

Enjoy coming up with your own unique versions of this hardy breakfast!

Baked Oatmeal

I listed this recipe by Barbara Bakes in my Favorite recipes from other blogs post.

I was finally able to get a decent picture, so I'd thought I'd post it. I've changed the add-ins to reflect the flavor that I've enjoyed the most. The fun thing about this oatmeal, is that you can customize it. The first time I made it, I used dried tropical fruit. The next I used coconut and macadamia nuts, and my favorite; maple and brown sugar.

Amish Baked Oatmeal
Adapted from Barbara Bakes

1/4 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs, or 1/2 cup Egg Beaters
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teas nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup REAL maple syrup
1 1/4 cup milk
3 cups oatmeal (regular or quick)


Directions
In a mixing bowl combined eggs, brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and maple syrup. Mix well, no lumps. Whisk in butter and milk. Add oats and any other toppings, stir until combined. Pour in to greased 9x9 baking dish.

Refrigerate overnight, covered. (If you’re using quick oats, you do not need to refrigerate overnight.)
Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 35-45 min, or until set in the middle. Serve hot with warm milk poured over.

I make this meal to last a whole week. So, after cooking, I cut it into about 6 pieces. Lay the pieces on a parchment covered cookie sheet, and place in freezer. When the pieces are frozen, place in individual ziplock bags. Pull one out when you are ready to eat. Microwave for about 2 minutes, pour milk over oatmeal. Eat!

*CLOSED* Kitchen Stories Giveaway! Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Just stop for a minute and look at all this wonderful food.
Drool a little. We'll wait.
...

...

...

Done? Good. Now on to the Giveaway!!
Deirdre from Kitchen Stories is one of my favorite ladies, and has one of the best Food shops on Etsy. Her Spice mixes are top notch, and her food mixes... Yum!

(this is NOT a paid endorsement! I have ordered many, many times from Deirdre and love all of it!)


Kitchen Stories is offering 1 free pack of their
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie mixes
to one of my readers!

Now, I really can not say enough about these cookies. They are FABULOUS! I just mention "Kitchen Stories" in my house, and hubby starts drooling...

Want to see how much I love them?
Check out my post on my old blog about these amazing treats!

See how yummy they look? Go ahead... click on the photo...

How to Enter:

Contest ends on Monday, Dec. 7th
The Winner of the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix is...

# 42 Jakiesmom who said... the mixed berry pancake mix sounds so good!

Have fun!

No Bake Cookies

Who doesn't like No Bake Cookies? They are the perfect cookie to make with kids!

No Bake Cookies
Or, for the yucky in us: "Gorilla Poop"!

2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
pinch of salt
1 teas vanilla
3 cups quick oats
1/2 cup coconut (if desired- but oh, you want it, believe me!)

Mix the sugar, cocoa, milk, and margarine in saucepan. Cook on medium heat on stove until it starts to boil. Stir continually while cooking.
Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add peanut butter, salt, vanilla. Mix well.

Add oats and coconut, mix well.

Drop by teaspoons on waxed paper. Place in fridge until hard, if desired.

**You can also make these into a brownie form by pressing the mixture in a large casserole dish.

Enjoy!