One Dough Three Ways: Oatmeal Cookie Trio

Sometimes when a cookie recipe makes 48+ cookies, you can get bored with your flavor choice before you're done eating the batch. How frustrating! When making a large quantity of cookies, I like to stick with a simple dough & a few different mix-ins. It couldn't be easier! Make one batch of dough, separate it into three different bowls and craft your own gourmet trio of goodies. Last night was all about nuts...

I. Dough: The dough for these cookies is an easy oatmeal cookie dough. The recipe is at the bottom of this post. One cool thing about it, it's all mixed by hand. 

II. Mix-ins: 

1. White Chocolate, Cranberry & Pistachio: For a sweet-tangy-salty cookie mix 1 cup white chocolate chunks, 3/4 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup roasted pistachios into 1/3 of the batter. Each bite gives you a little somethin' different. If you're not a fan of white chocolate, dark chocolate chunks would be great as well. 

2. Caramel-Peanut: These would be perfect for someone who doesn't like sweet sweets. Mix in 3/4 or 1 cup dry roasted peanuts, lightly salted, along with 1/2 cup dulce de leche sauce [ I know it's a repeat from yesterday but I need to get rid of it!] The dulce de leche along with the peanuts give these cookies a candy like taste & texture. Think of these as the carb version of a Payday bar. Yum?

3. Coconut-Oatmeal: Mixing in 1 - 1.5 cups of sweetened shredded coconut gives the oatmeal cookies an modest crunch! after the coconut toasts up in the hot oven. For someone who favors plain oatmeal cookies this would be a subtle, yet tasty, variation for them to try. 

III. The Line Up: 

White Chocolate, Cranberry and Pistachio Cookies 

Caramel-Peanut Cookies

Toasted Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Which one would you choose? 

CHEWY OATMEAL COOKIES 3-WAYS

MAKES: about 2 dozen

 

1 cup unsalted butter 

1  cup brown sugar 

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 cup whole wheat flour 

1/2  cup all-purpose flour 

1  teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

3  cups quick-cooking oats

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

2. Place butter in a microwave safe bowl and soften in the microwave. Butter should be soft like pomade, not melted.

3. Beat the softened butter and brown sugar together using a wooden spoon. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until combined. 

4. Whisk together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. 

5. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add oats and stir until all ingredients are incorporated. 

6. Separate dough into three different bowl and stir in whatever three mix-in combos you're craving. 

7. Place rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. 

8. Bake each batch of cookies for 12-15 minutes, transfer to a cooling rack, cool & enjoy!

Quick notes: Oatmeal cookies are a fantastic breakfast food! Use granola as one of your mix-ins and they're even better