Chillin' in the Kitchen: Super Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Cookies (No Butter)

I was speaking with a friend recently and the topic of oatmeal cookies came up...and that got me really, really craving some. I also have an obscene amount of oats on hand (we eat a lot of oaty things, what can I say) so I welcome any excuse to dig into our stockpile.

One of the things I dislike about baking is the use of butter - mainly because there is never any butter in our house because I always forget to buy it, or I'm too lazy to soften butter in advance of baking when I want instant gratification and don't have the patience to wait. If it's a one-bowl, one-utensil recipe, it earns even more points. I am proof you can be lazy and still make delicious food!

My favourite kind of Oatmeal Cookies are ones that are soft and chewy - I don't particularly care for the super flat ones that are crispy. These cookies used coconut oil since that's what I typically have on hand, but you could use olive oil or canola oil - or even try doing half oil/half unsweetened applesauce. The nice thing about coconut oil is that it makes the house smell super coconutty but you don't really get a coconut taste.

You can do so much to this simple starter recipe but I like it with raisins the best. Chocolate chips/chunks, nuts or other dried fruits would go really well too. Whatever you do, try not to eat all of them in one sitting (unless you have a lot of really cold milk on hand...then, you should definitely eat them all.) :)

Oatmeal Cookies
makes ~28 cookies

1 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 C oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C sugar
1/3 C brown sugar
2 eggs, large
3/4 C oil (coconut, olive, canola, grapeseed...whichever you prefer)
2 tsp vanilla

Optional: 1/2 - 2/3 C of add-ins (raisins, chocolate chips, nuts, dried cranberries, etc.)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment or Silpat.
2. Mix together all dry ingredients until well combined and there are no clumps.
3. Add eggs, oil and vanilla. Mix well.
4. If using add-ins, stir until just combined.
5. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, divide into even balls and place on cookie sheet, flattening them slightly.
6. Bake for 9-13 minutes, until the edges just start to turn golden brown. If you like them a bit less soft, bake longer. (I bake mine for 11 minutes.)
7. Cool on wire rack.

Cookies will keep soft in a plastic container (remember: plastic containers for soft cookies, glass containers for crispy cookies) for up to a week. Freezes well.