Aunt Ruth’s Oatmeal Cookies
My Great Aunt Ruth is well known in my family for quite a few recipes, but one of the most well-loved by most members of my family are her oatmeal cookies. They are lacy and caramelized and crunchy and TO DIE FOR! They are a staple in my family’s Christmas cookie repertoire and my absolute favorite oatmeal cookie.
She developed this recipe in the 1940s, passed it onto my grandmother (her sister) and anyone else who asked for it. But, for some reason that no one in my family can quite understand, no one can make them quite as well as she could. And, sadly, she passed away last year just before Thanksgiving, so we can’t pick up the phone to ask for help or stop by to make them with her. We are on our own to try to figure out how to make them as close to hers as we can. But, even when they aren’t perfect, they still are the best oatmeal cookies out there (in my opinion), and I hope you will enjoy them just as much as we do.
RECIPE
Aunt Ruth’s Oatmeal Cookies
Difficulty: Easy
Yield: 6 dozen
Prep Time: 15 mins.
Total Cook Time: 36 mins (assuming you do 2 dozen at a time)
Ingredients
1 cup vegetable shortening (or butter), room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups old fashioned, rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F if using a convection oven) and line baking sheets with parchment paper (or line with silicone baking mats or lightly grease with cooking spray).
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add oats to the sifted mixture and stir to combine, then set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together shortening (or butter, if using) with sugars and vanilla. Then add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is thoroughly combined.
Slowly add the dry mixture into the wet, scraping down the bowl after each inclusion. Continue until all of the dry is incorporated into the wet.
Using a small ice cream or cookie scoop (approx. 1 Tbsp. in size), spoon the dough onto the baking sheets. Use fingers to press them down flat to encourage spreading.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until edges are golden brown.
After they come out of the oven, let them cool on the sheets for 2 minutes before removing them. Place them on wire racks to cool completely.
Enjoy!
COOK’S NOTES:
If you don’t have old fashioned oats, quick oats work fine. But, DO NOT use steel-cut oats. They will not work!
Hand mixers or good old fashioned elbow grease work just fine to make this recipe; stand mixers are not required, but definitely make the job easier.
Don’t skip the sifting. I know that it is fiddly, but I would not tell you to do something that I wouldn’t do myself, so just do it. Please!
Don’t skip pressing down the cookies; they will not turn out correctly if you don’t.
When pressing flat, if the cookie dough sticks to your fingers, wet your fingers with water first and then proceed.
