Fantastic Bake Along – Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tracy at It’s a T-Sweets Day! has asked me to contribute a recipe this month for the Fantastic Bake Along so I wracked my brain trying to think of something, and finally came up with this recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies which my grandma used to make when I was a kid. (That was a long, long, time ago for those wondering.) I haven’t made this recipe in years, but it has been on my mind lately, since I’ve been thinking about her.

Growing up this recipe was the envy of my cousins on my mom’s side of the family (because the grandma that made it was on my dad’s side). When they would visit, they wanted to go to my grandma’s house up the street, and get cookies from her. I think they are the best cookies ever, but I may be biased since they are also one of the things I remember most from my childhood and are associated with wonderful memories. Grandma Thompson always had tins of these cookies handy, and she was very generous with them.

Make sure you read the directions thoroughly before beginning, they are simple, but she specifically noted in her recipe that the order in which you add the ingredients makes a difference in the results. I couldn’t find the index card she wrote the recipe on for me, but luckily I had copied it word for word into a recipe book, because I was worried about losing the card. (And with good reason, since I have obviously misplaced it.)

The recipe does not specify what type of nuts to add, but the only thing I ever remember her adding were walnuts.

These cookies are on the crispy side if I remember correctly, and are not soft, and gooey, so if that is the type of cookie you prefer, then you may be disappointed. I hope you enjoy my grandma’s recipe.

Grandma Thompson’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup shortening
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup boiling water
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts
6 oz chocolate chips

Important: Follow recipe closely as results depend greatly on order of addition of ingredients!

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Beat shortening, sugars, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt. Mix well. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Add to flour mixture. Stir in rolled oats, nuts, and chocolate chips.

Drop from teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Flatten with fork dipped in cold water.

Bake 10-12 minutes. Makes approximately 7 dozen.