Molasses Oatmeal Cookies

True story - I made these cookies to give to the neighbors, and asked Dave to taste test and tell me what he thinks.

Dave: well they're not your normal chocolate chip cookie.
Me:    good thing,  since they are molasses oatmeal. (insert eye roll).
Dave: Can I be brutally honest? I wouldn't give them to the neighbors because they don't know how  good your cookies can be, and these are ok but not up to your usual level of delicious baking.
Me:    dang. ok, well then I don't know what I'm going to do with 5 dozen of them...

Later that day LeDonna stops by, I tell her the story and ask if she'll please take some cookies since they aren't 'good enough' to give to the neighbors. An hour later she texts me this:

LeDonna: Let me be brutally honest - the molasses oatmeal cookies are FABULOUS!!! I've had 4 cookies already and trying to save some for the others! My tastebuds are very happy!

Needless to say, I went ahead and gave some to the neighbors (who loved them for the record) and my friend Cassie (who also loved them and asked for the recipe)!! Just because they aren't Dave's favorite doesn't mean they aren't good - everyone else is very happy with them!

• 1 and 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tasoon vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons coffee (you can use leftover coffee from breakfast)
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup light Karo syrup
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 
• 3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• coarse, natural raw sugar (optional for the tops)

Place the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Pour the softened butter on top of the sugar and mix until smooth and creamy.

Mix in the eggs and beat until well incorporated and the mixture is light and fluffy.

Sprinkle in the baking soda, baking powder, and salt; mix in until they're incorporated. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla and coffee. Mix well.

Mix in the cranberries. Add the molasses and Karo syrup and beat until everything is combined. 

Add the oats, mix thoroughly.

Add the flour in half-cup increments, mixing after each addition (the purpose of this is so the flour doesn't fly out of the bowl, adding it slowly will keep down the mess!).

Take the bowl out of the mixer, give it a final stir by hand to make sure that none of the cookie batter sticks to the sides, then stir in the chips by hand. 

Spray your cookie sheets with non-stick baking spray or line them with parchment paper (I use parchment paper, clean up is a breeze that way!). 

Drop the cookies by heaping large spoonfuls (I use a medium-size 2 Tablespoon scoop) onto your prepared cookie sheets, no more than 9 large cookies to a standard size sheet. Sprinkle with natural sugar if you want. Bake at 350' for 13-15 minutes or until set and lightly golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven, let them cool on the pans for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

yield: 5 dozen large, soft and chewy cookies

Notes and changes I made: the original recipe calls for salted butter (I use unsalted and add coarse salt), golden raisins (I don't like raisins so substituted dried cranberries), quick cooking oats (I used old-fashion), I added a sprinkle of coarse sugar to the tops, it says to bake for 15-18 minutes but mine took less time, and lastly the original recipe says it makes 2-3 dozen but I got 5. Oh, and the original title is "soft and chewy milk chocolate cookies' but it seems more like a 'molasses oatmeal' cookie to me!

I found this recipe in one of those murder/cooking books by Joanne Fluke

one year ago: my sister made creepy donut hole eyeballs
two years ago: make a tassel keychain or purse charm
three years ago: how I decorate our front porch