My life is all about quick, easy, but getting it done right. These cookies fall into those three categories let me tell you.

The key to these amazing cookies is that you cannot over bake them. I repeat, do not over bake them. You like them soft and chewy right? Then time them and keep checking.

Another thing you must know before you start to make these is, I have to give you heads up, you have to chill the cookie dough mixture for at lease 20 mins. I know time these days is a factor for everyone, especially me! Hey 20 minutes is 20 minutes right?

In addition, if you want to store the dough for a long period of time,  you can freeze the dough but make sure you roll your cookie balls out first and then when your ready to bake them, throw them right in the over frozen.

Ingredients

(You can do this now or when your mix is chilling, pre-heat your oven first at 350 degrees and I get two cookie sheets ready before I even start) You can use parchment paper or just make sure they won’t burn and stick to the pan. My cookie sheets are from Pampered chef and they are non-stick which I love. But if you don’t have non-stick just use parchment paper.

1 cup (2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened to room temp (if you forget to take your butter out, just throw it in the microwave for about 9 to 11 seconds) it works for me.

1 cup of light or brown sugar (packed, aka measured exactly)

1/4 granulated (white) sugar

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon of maple syrup or molasses (seriously don’t stress if you don’t have either of those ingredients, you can also use honey watered down with a little apple cider)

1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking SODA

1 and 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups of old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup of raisins

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (optional) those are usually by special request only in my house

Step one

From the above ingredient list take the softened butter and sugars, and mix with a hand mixer. Mix in the two eggs one at a time. Add in the syrup(or substitution)and the vanilla extract.  After combining those, set aside.

Step two

Add the flour, baking SODA, ground cinnamon, and salt together and mix up with a fork. Next, mix in your wet ingredients with those dry ingredients. On a low mix speed, throw in your oats, raisins, and nuts until well blended.

Now I didn’t always believe this was necessary but you do have to chill the cookie mix before you bake them. At least 20 minutes. It makes a difference in the way they come out. I chilled it as one big ball but if you want to roll out each cookie about a teaspoon heap, or just scoop and drop. Two reasons I didn’t chill as individual cookies is one, I didn’t have room in my freezer to put the cookie sheets in there and two I liked to roll them when they are harder so the mixture didn’t stick to my hands.

After chilling, bake at 350 9 to 11 mins. Make sure they stay light in color and put your oven rack in the middle or upper level so the bottoms don’t burn!

Good luck and remember, don’t over bake!!