Ciinnamon-Oatmeal-Banana Cookies

Oatmeal cookies are a favorite of mine. Yes, I've already found a recipe to make them gluten-free for my husband. This recipe, however, is not gluten-free so everyone with a bag of flour in their cupboard, this one is for you. I plan to make them for Christmas if not sooner . . . much sooner! I may even experiment and see if I can come up with a reasonable replica gluten-free.

Cinnamon-Oatmeal-Banana Cookies
1 cup softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cup pureed bananas
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash of cloves
2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup toasted and chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar, and eggs in a large mixing bowl, mixing well.
Add bananas, vanilla, spices, oats, flour and baking powder. Beat in to
incorporate. Stir in the walnuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets about an inch
apart to all room for spreading. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set and golden
around the edges.

For an extra punch, you can drizzle with lemon icing or dust with powdered
sugar.

Another way to use zucchini . . .

The one crop that seems to excell every summer is zucchini. Soon, we will be trying to leave our extra crop on the doorsteps of unsuspecting neighbors who are probably out doing the same thing with their overabundance of zucchini! I'm always looking for new and interesting ways to use this vegetable. I guess I'm one of the few that truly like it. I even eat it sliced and raw for a lunch time snack.

Zucchini Spice Oatmeal Cookies
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup honey
1 large egg
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup dried cranberries (although raisins or diced dates would work, too)

Cream together the butter and honey. Add the egg and beat well. Mix in the dry ingredients and then stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Drop by teaspoonsfulls onto a parchment-lined or vegetable oil sprayed cookie sheet and bake in preheated 375 degree oven for approximately 10 minutes.

You can dust them with powdered sugar for presentation purposes or ice them with lemon or orange icing. Makes about 4 1/2 to 5 dozen cookies. Great with a glass of milk for an after-school/work snack.

Oatmeal Fruit & Nut Drops

After all the baking and candy making, my mind is thinking about a plainer type cookie with some substance and this one comes to mind. I think that after all the busy holiday plans are over and done with, I will put a batch of these on the counter to go with glasses of cold milk.

Oatmeal Fruit & Nut Drops1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed golden brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup diced dates
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or use vegetable oil spray to grease.

Stir flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves in small bowl to blend. Set aside. Using electric mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large bowl until blended. Mix in egg and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop tablespoonful of dough for each cookie onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks. Drizzle with lemon glaze.

Lemon Glaze1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Enough fresh lemon juice to form a glaze

Granny's Oatmeal Crisps

This is one of the few oatmeal cookies that are also a cut-out cookie. Although you can use any shape cookie cutter you like, I tend to go with the circle so I can sandwish them together with some thick jam or a buttercream icing. You could also dip half the circle in melted chocolate and then in ground nuts. Lots of room for creativity here!


Granny’s Oatmeal Crisps

1 1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar together and beat in warm water. Mix together the remaining dry ingredients and add them along with the vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Add the cup of flour, blending in carefully.

Roll out portions of the dough and cut out circles with cookie cutter. Place on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Cook on wire rack. Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Oatmeal cookies revisited . . . again!

Once again, I have revised a well-liked recipe for oatmeal cookies. The first time I made the recipe, it was good but, upon reflection, I realized I could add some nutrient value as well as make them a whole lot better . . . at least to my oatmeal cookie mind set! As you can see from the pictures, I actually made these cookies today. My house smells very nice.

Revised Oatmeal Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon hazelnut extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cup Raisin Bran Cereal
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Beat together the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the eggs, beating well. Mix in the extracts and coffee powder. Add the flour and baking soda and mix completely. Fold in the oats and Raisin Bran Cereal.

Drop by tablespoons onto either a vegetable-greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack. My teenage son has just informed me that they go GREAT with a glass of cold milk! I love unbiased critics.

Ideas . . .
You can add some toasted coconut to the mix.
Chocolate chips never hurt a cookie yet that I know of.
Some people like using puffed rice cereal instead of the Raisin Bran flakes.
Some chopped pecans or walnuts could work well here.

Oatmeal Cookies . . . again!

Yes, another oatmeal cookie recipe but this one has an interesting twist in dealing with the oatmeal. As with most of my favorite recipes, it is very adaptable to change with whatever additions you might like to add to the batter.

OATMEAL COOKIES
1 cup butter (two sticks)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a blender or food processor, process the oatmeal into a powder. Measure the powder form for the recipe!

Cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and whip to combine. Add the vanilla, baking powder, and baking soda mixing just to combine.

Stir in the flour and oatmeal to form a workable dough. Drop by tablespoons onto a lightly greased or parchment covered baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 5-10 minutes depending on size of cookies.

Ideas . . .
A great basic cookie but what about adding 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the mix?

Want a chocolate/nut taste include 1/2 cup your favorite nut to the above-mentioned chocolate chips.

Remember, there are more than just chocolate chips you can add these days!

Toasted coconut with some fresh orange zest is almost tropical.

Adding 1/2 cup or so of diced orange gum drops is different and actually very good.

Yet, another version of the Oatmeal Cookie!

I'm always up to trying new and improved ways of making oatmeal cookies. This one caught my eye because of the fresh essence offered by the orange zest and the inclusion of the bits of dried apricot. The fact that they come out crunchy was only an added bonus. The bran flakes give an extra fiber boost and an interesting taste. I never pass on a chance to sneak something good into a treat.

Again, with the Oatmeal Cookie!

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest

1 egg

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1 cup bran flake cereal

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup finely diced dried apricots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together the butter, sugars and zest. This gives the oils from the zest a chance to blend into the butter. Beat in the egg, oil, vanilla extract, baking soda, and flour until just mixed. Add in the rest of the ingredients and combine.

Drop walnut-sized balls of dough on cookie sheets.  Bake for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, depending on size you make the cookies.

Although using vegetable spray to grease the sheets is fine, consider using parchment paper. It helped bake the cookies more evenly and clean up is very easy. The cookies just slide off.

Oatmeal Cookies - THESE are now my favorites!

I like oatmeal cookies best of all and have tried many different recipes over the years. With a few tweaks to the ingredients, I now declare these to be my all-time favorites . . . until I find another one. I'm fickle that way when it comes to oatmeal cookies. Naturally, I'm willing to share.

Oatmeal Cookies - Barbara's Way

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed, dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups long-cooking, rolled oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup of chopped dried apricots

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Mix together the butter and sugars, beating until well-combined. Thoroughly mix in the eggs, vanilla and baking soda. Add the zest and mix. Add the flour, oats, walnuts, and apricots to the bowl and mix until you have a thick dough.

Drop by tablespoons on a lightly-greased baking sheet. Press each cookie down with the bottom of a glass or cup dipped in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.  A tip: Parchment paper is terrific for this as the cookies bake more evenly and there is no clean up. If you use parchment paper, you don't need to grease the baking sheets.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes. After you remove them from the oven, let them sit a moment to firm up.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies depending on the size you make.

Ideas . . .

Dried cranberries or raisins would be could substitutes for the dried apricot bits.

Of course, you can add chocolate chips!

Walnuts are not a law, just a suggestion from my own taste palette. You can use peanuts, almonds, pecans . . .