Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is my Grandma's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. And has been my absolute favorite cookie for as long as I can remember. They have a perfectly light crisp shell on the outside and perfect "chew" inside. Her recipe calls for raisins. But raisins in cookies are one of life's biggest disappointments, so I always use chocolate chips. But, I suppose you could use raisins if absolutely necessary.

Grandma's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

The moment I take a bite of this oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, I am immediately transformed to my grandma's kitchen with the blue and yellow geese hot pads, and the wobbly kitchen stool I stood on to reach these treasures.

My grandma was the real deal.

She came from a rough childhood to marry my grandpa right after the war, raise 4 amazing women, and built a strong family foundation she didn't have growing up.

Can I make these cookies gluten free?

Absolutely! I've made these with both Cup4Cup, Kruteaz All-Purpose Gluten Free and King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure. Cup4Cup is going to give you the best texture, however, it has powdered milk in it, so I don't use it often since I'm lactose intolerant. Measure for Measure has the most health benefits, is a great price and still has a good texture.

You can read all about my Gluten Free Flour Cookie Comparison Test here!

Can I make these cookies healthier?

Yes! I almost always cut back on the amount of sugar in this recipe. It calls for a cup of brown and a cup of white. I don't like overly-sweet desserts, so I cut it back as far as just ½ cup of each. This does not affect the texture or baking time at that point.

I've also used Lakanto Monkfruit sugar replacement for the white sugar. It's just as good as regular sugar, however it's a bit pricey for me to use by the cup. I typically just use it in my coffee and Dairy Free Hot Chocolate Recipe.

Another easy way to make these healthier is to skip the chocolate chips and use raisins or another dried fruit instead. Now, I feel like raisins in a cookie is typically a big disappointment, however in this recipe, they're magic! I truly love it both ways.

Can I make these dairy free?

Yes! Lately, I've been using plant butter in all of my baking recipes and it works really well! In fact, my husband (Hans), claims he might even like it better. I like the Country Crock Plant Butter made with either Avocado or Olive Oil.

Can I make these Vegan?

You betcha! First, replace the butter with the plant butter mentioned above.

Next, replace the eggs with an egg substitute. I have a simple egg replacement chart on my Vegan Vanilla Baked Donuts Recipe. My favorite replacement is the flax egg. I can never tell the difference, plus it's healthy!

For the chocolate chips, you can either use a vegan chocolate chip, such as the Enjoy Life Morsels or simply replace with raisins. Easy peasy!

Use cookies to show your love!

I had the pleasure of being a part-time caretaker for my grandmother during her final battle with cancer. She was a seriously tough cookie (a phrase coined in the 1920's to refer to a smart woman. Betcha didn't know that).

She and my grandpa were two of the most special and amazing people in my world. So today, I make these cookies for my little family and channel my grandmother's kindness in my baking for at least an afternoon. And we're all a little better for it.

Baking Supplies that have been tried and tested

Here is a linked list of my favorite cookie baking supplies. I've used these for years, so they've been tried and tested and been found ... perfect!

Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
All Clad Measuring Cups and Spoons
Nordic Ware Cookie Sheets
Reynolds Pre-Cut Parchment Paper
OXO Large Cookie Scoop

So channel my grandma, Lois, and make a batch of these today. Yes, the recipe calls for shortening, as was typical of these older recipes. But let me tell you, that's how you get the most amazing texture, and really it's no worse for you than butter. So get over it and put on your big girl panties. Remember, life is hard enough, go eat a REAL cookie.