VANISHING OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES: National Oatmeal Cookie Day

Today is National Oatmeal Cookie Day! You could make traditional Oatmeal Cookies with raisins, but really? what's a cookie without chocolate?  So, here's an adapted recipe from Quaker Oats for their Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Chocolate Chips (or Chocolate Chunks) instead of raisins. The original recipe is found on most Quaker Oats boxes...and on the website.

VANISHING OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Ingredients
1/2 Cup plus 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3/4 Cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 Cup Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 Cup Chocolate Chips or Chocolate Chunks
 (optional) 3/4 cup chopped walnuts 

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.
In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix well.
Add oats and Chocolate Chips (or Chocolate Chunks) and chopped walnuts (optional); mix well.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown.
Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.

Alternative: Bar Cookies
Press dough onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown.
Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
Cut into bars.

Vanishing Oatmeal See's Bridge Mix Cookies: National Oatmeal Cookie Day!

Today is Oatmeal Cookie Day, and usually I'd post a recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, but this recipe is even better! My friend Harriet Stay told me about a recipe from See's Candies that uses a 1 pound box of their Bridge Mix. Bridge Mix is made up of almonds, pecans and raisins mixed with mini Molasses Chips, See's Caramel, California Brittle and more.. and all coated in milk and dark chocolate. Harriet  noted that the recipe is exactly the same as the one on the top of the Quaker Oats box called "Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies" substituting the See's Candies Bridge Mix for the raisins. I didn't find that exact recipe from See's, but I did find the Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies recipe. Of course, you might not have See's Bridge Mix at hand, but you can always use other chopped up candy in place of See's Bridge Mix.

VANISHING OATMEAL SEE'S BRIDGE MIX COOKIES

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup SEE'S BRIDGE MIX

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.
In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Add combined flour, baking soda, and salt; mix well.
Add oats and See's Bridge Mix. Combine well.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown.
Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.

Variation: 
Bar Cookies: Press dough onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.