Bear's Favorite Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

from https://ourbestbites.com/giant-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/

1 c butter, softened
1 c dark brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 T vanilla
2 c flour
1 c quick-cooking oats
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t kosher salt
3 c (or 18 ounces) chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 325.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream together softened butter and sugars.  Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients (except the chocolate chips).  Add by cupfuls to the butter/sugar/egg mixture and mix until incorporated.  Add the chocolate chips and mix until just combined.

Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop, drop the dough by the scoopful onto the prepared baking sheets.  You should be able to get about 6 cookies per sheet.  Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until they begin to turn light brown around the edges.  Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes and then eat them with milk while they're still warm!

Makes about 18 giant cookies.


copycat Gristmill cookies

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

from Pinch of Yum  https://pinchofyum.com/the-best-soft-chocolate-chip-cookies/print/39213

• 8 tablespoons of salted butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar (I like to use raw cane sugar with a coarser texture)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (more as needed – see video)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (but I always add a little extra)
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (I use a combination of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Microwave the butter for about 40 seconds to just barely melt it. It shouldn’t be hot – but it should be almost entirely in liquid form.
2. Using a stand mixer or electric beaters, beat the butter with the sugars until creamy. Add the vanilla and the egg; beat on low speed until just incorporated – 10-15 seconds or so (if you beat the egg for too long, the cookies will be stiff).
3. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until crumbles form. Use your hands to press the crumbles together into a dough. It should form one large ball that is easy to handle (right at the stage between “wet” dough and “dry” dough). Add the chocolate chips and incorporate with your hands.
4. Roll the dough into 12 large balls (or 9 for HUGELY awesome cookies) and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes until the cookies look puffy and dry and just barely golden.Warning, friends: DO NOT OVERBAKE. This advice is probably written on every cookie recipe everywhere, but this is essential for keeping the cookies soft. Take them out even if they look like they’re not done yet (see picture in the post). They’ll be pale and puffy.
5. Let them cool on the pan for a good 30 minutes or so (I mean, okay, eat four or five but then let the rest of them cool). They will sink down and turn into these dense, buttery, soft cookies that are the best in all the land. These should stay soft for many days if kept in an airtight container. I also like to freeze them.

I'm still looking for my favorite recipe, but this one is really good.  Makes one dozen big cookies or two dozen small cookies, so double the recipe if you have six hundred kids like I do. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. Because October.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
2 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
15 oz. can pumpkin
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. ginger
3/4 t. cloves
1/2 t. allspice
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts, i guess)
11.5 oz bag chocolate chips

Cream together shortening, sugar, eggs, and pumpkin.
Stir in remaining ingredients. (Dough will be sticky.)
bake at 400 for 10 to 15 minutes.

Mmm, fall.

Grandmother's Cookies (secret recipe)

Grandmother's Famous Christmas Cookies
from Elsie Marie Rood Gephart
*Secret Family Recipe*

1 c. soft butter
1/2 c. whipping cream
2 c. flour
1 c. sugar (for dipping)

Mix well butter, cream and flour.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll out dough 1/8" thick.
Cut with 1 1/2" cookie cutter.  Dip each side of cookie in granulated sugar, place on cookie sheet (on parchment paper) and prick with fork four times.  Bake 7 to 9 minutes until lightly browned.  Cool and put two cookies together with frosting.

Frosting:
Blend together
1/4 c. soft butter
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
Adjust for consistency.