Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I find it hard to eat just one of these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are chewy, chocolatey and one of my favorites.

The secret to making these is to use premium dark chocolate chips (I used Callebaut Belgian dark chocolate chips but I also like Fred Meyer Private Selection Dark Chocolate Chunks) and a hearty dose of sea salt which in my opinion makes just about every sweet so much better.

This is a quick recipe to make and something I often find myself throwing together last minute.


Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
(makes 4 dozen cookies)

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4  teaspoon sea salt
4 3/4 cups old fashioned oatmeal
2 cups dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl cream together the shortening, butter, sugars and vanilla.  Add the eggs, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Add the flour and mix again. Finally stir in the oatmeal and chocolate chips.

Scoop 1-inch balls and place 1-inch apart on lightly greased or parchment-lined sheetpans. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Let the cookies cool a bit on the sheetpan before transferring them to cooling racks.

Walnutty Chocolate Chip Cookies

I enjoy making fancy decorated cookies but truth be told, there really isn't anything that tastes better than chocolate chip — Especially when they're served warm with a glass of cold milk.

This recipe is my version of the classic Tollhouse recipe with walnuts.

My tweaks to the original are to use dark chocolate chips, heartier doses of vanilla and sea salt and use shortening in addition to unsalted butter. The butter adds flavor and the shortening adds chewiness and softness to the cookie, which is the way I like them. I think you'll like them too.

Here's the recipe:

Walnutty Chocolate Chip Cookies
(makes about 5 dozen 2-inch cookies)

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3 1/2 cups flour
3 cups dark chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, whip together the butter, shortening, sugars and vanilla until light and creamy. Add the eggs and mix until well-combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add this to the butter/egg mixture and mix until well-combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and waltnuts.

The finished cookie dough ready to be scooped.

Use a 1-inch scoop or teaspoon to scoop balls of dough and place them 2-inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes or until they are golden brown just around the edges. Let the cookies cool for about 10 minutes on the sheetpans before transferring them to a baker's rack to cool completely.

Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

My husband said he was craving something sweet this evening and challenged me to make "the best chocolate chip cookie ever."

I knew just what I had to do — use the best dark chocolate chips and a combination of real butter and shortening. The butter adds flavor and makes a crispy cookie and the shortening adds chewiness. 

For the chocolate I used Callebaut Belgian chocolate chips. I prefer this brand because they are smooth and melt in your mouth. With other brands of dark chocolate I sometimes find I like the flavor but the chips don't have that creamy melt in your mouth consistency.

My favorite brand of dark chocolate chips.

The cookies came together fast and as soon as they were out of the oven and had cooled a bit, my husband had two in his hand.

"I give these a 12.5 out of 10," he said. Yeah! — Mission accomplished.

My happy husband.

Here's the recipe:

Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 large eggs
3 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together the butter, shortening and sugars.

Add the vanilla and eggs and mix again.

Add the salt, baking soda and flour and mix until well combined.

Add the chocolate chips.

Roll dough into 1 1/4 -inch balls and place on a parchment lined or nonstick cookie sheet 2-inches apart.

Cookies ready to bake.

Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Let the cookies cool a bit before moving to a cooling rack.