One of the first cookbooks I bought was a collection of Mennonite recipes and this recipe for Oatmeal Macaroons quickly became a favorite. I’ve made it so often that the binding is split on that page so it conveniently falls open to the exact page.
The lady that contributed the recipe says she’s been making these cookies for over 40 years. Her landlord passed it on to her when her kids were small and they lived in an apartment over their little shop. I love recipes with a history!
So Many Possibilities!
One great thing about this recipe is all the variations you can make with this basic cookie dough. I usually just add chocolate chips. My favorite cookie is oatmeal raisin so sometimes I override the raisin haters and make them the way Mom likes them. Dried cherries and dark chocolate chips make a pretty spectacular cookie too.
Unlike most oatmeal cookies this recipe doesn’t have cinnamon in it. It’s surprisingly nice to have an oatmeal raisin cookie without cinnamon. Of course, it works better with chocolate to have a plain dough.
I’ll add tips and tricks after the recipe.
Oatmeal Macaroon Recipe
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups quick oats
- 1 1/2 cup total chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, whatever you want to add in
Combine butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Mix with a mixer or by hand with a wooden spoon until creamed. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Mix in the flour. When the flour is almost combined with the creamed mixture, add the oatmeal and whatever extras you are using.
Mix in well, making sure you scrape any dough from the bottom of the bowl so everything is well combined.
Shape and Bake
Scoop dough in tablespoon size portions onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Move the cookies to a rack to cool. This recipe makes about 4-5 dozen depending on the size.
I have a cookie trick you might like. When a tray of cookies is almost done baking, I open the oven, pick up the baking sheet carefully, and lightly drop the sheet onto the oven rack. This collapses the cookies before they are completely set and gives them a chewier texture.
Tips and Tricks
- Substitute half whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour.
- Mix in 1 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup dried tart cherries or nuts.
- Try 1 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of toffee chips.
- Mix in 1 cup peanut butter chips and 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
- Mix in 3/4 cup shredded coconut and 1 cup mini m&ms.
- Make into bar cookies by spreading in a 9 by 13 inch pan and baking for 20 minutes or until set. I like to press a few chocolate chips on top of the dough before baking.
