Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies

     There are two oatmeal cookie factions in my household. There is the "An oatmeal cookie is not an oatmeal cookie without raisins in it" faction, and then there's the "I hate to bite into a perfectly good oatmeal cookie and discover that those dark things aren't chocolate" faction. This being the case, when I made oatmeal cookies this weekend there was only one thing to do...well two actually. I made part of the cookies with raisins, and the rest were studded with peanut M&Ms.

     This recipe for Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies on the Quaker Oats website  is a little bit different than the recipe (by the same name) on the Quaker Oats oatmeal box...it has a little bit less of both butter and sugar, which made it an easy choice since we're trying to cut down on both around here. Regardless of the mix-ins used, both kinds of cookies turned out perfectly chewy inside with a little "crisp" on the edges. Additionally, using the Baking Spice Blend in place of the cinnamon I usually use really gave them a good flavor. No one missed the extra butter and sugar at all!

Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies
recipe from the Quaker Oats website

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs from happy hens
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon or Baking Spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups Quaker Oats- old fashioned or quick  (uncooked)
1 cup of mix-ins: raisins, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, candy covered chocolate pieces, dried cranberries, cherries or blueberries (optional)
Directions:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees 
• Cream together butter and sugars. 
• Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
• Whisk or sift together flour, baking soda, spice and salt. Add to mixture.
• Stir in oatmeal and mix-ins.
• Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment covered (or ungreased) baking sheets. I also added a few extra raisins (or M&Ms) on top of each dough ball.
• Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for a minute on the cookie sheet and then cool completely on wire racks. Yield: 4 dozen.

Bar cookie variation: Press dough into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.