“Whatever” Oatmeal Cookies

Those cookies get their names from the fact that they are so versatile you can put “whatever” dried fruit, chocolate and nuts you have on hand and they come out soft, chewy and delicious every single time.

Oatmeal cookies are my favorite because of their hearty texture and flavor. You can use any quick-cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats. My top choice is the Old Fashioned Oven Toasted Oats by Country Choice Organic. Do NOT use instant or steel-cut oats!

This week-end, to celebrate the 4th of July, I made a red, white & blue version: dried cranberries and blueberries and white chocolate chunks. I omitted the nuts as I was bringing the cookies to a party and was unsure about anyone suffering from a nut allergy.

Here are a few suggestions: mix and match, the sky's the limit!
Dried fruit: berries, cherries, apricots, raisins, pineapple, mango, apple bits...
Chocolate: dark, milk, white chips or chunks, mini M&Ms. Toffee works too!
Nuts: walnut, pistachio, macadamia, pecan, hazelnut, coconut flakes...

Some of my favorite combos:

* cranberry/white chocolate/pistachio
* cherry/dark chocolate/coconut
* apple/toffee bits/pecan
* mango/pineapple/macadamia
* and the easy and healthy “just raisins” option, of course!

Makes 24 cookies

• ½ cup butter (softened) = 115 g de beurre, ramolli
• ⅓ cup brown sugar (lightly packed) = 55 g de cassonade
• ⅓ cup white sugar = 55 g de sucre
• 1 egg = 1 oeuf
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract = 1 cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille
• ½ cup all-purpose unbleached flour = 60 g de farine type T55
• ½ cup (white or regular) whole wheat flour = 60 g de farine complète ou semi-complète
• ½ teaspoon baking soda = ½ cuillère à café de bicarbonate de soude
• ¼ teaspoon salt = une pincée de sel
• 1 ½ cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats = 120 g de flocons d'avoine
• about ½ cup dried fruit, chopped if needed = 50 à 75 g de fruits secs, coupés en morceaux si besoin
• about ½ cup chocolate chips or chunks = 50 à 75 g de pépites ou petits dés de chocolat
• about ⅓ cup chopped nuts = 30 g de noix ou autres fruits à coque, coupés en petits morceaux

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.

Cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the egg and add vanilla extract.

Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl. Combine the dry ingredients into the wet. Gently stir in the rolled oats, dried fruit, chocolate and nuts.

Drop dough onto two cookie sheets fitted with a baking mat one tablespoon at a time.

Because the dough is quite dense, it will not spread much while baking so I recommend pressing each ball lightly with the bottom of a glass to flatten the cookies slightly and insure even baking.

Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy! 

***Happy Independence Day***

Note: the cookies will keep well if stored in an airtight container.

Update: I was invited to participate in "Sweets for a Saturday" from Sweet as Sugar Cookies. Go check out all the yummy treats!!