Uncle Winn's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of my fondest memories growing up was the freedom my Mom allowed in the kitchen on Sunday afternoons and evenings. Baking cookies, muffins, caramel popcorn and simple candies with whatever was in the pantry became a weekly ritual.


But my mother's kitchen was a kitchen dedicated to utility and quantity - there were eight kids to feed! All our meals, including desserts and snacks, were about how far you could stretch the ingredients and how quickly you could get the food to the table.

I distinctly remember the first time I saw my Uncle Winn scoop out and bake cookies. Not only were his cookies super large, perfectly round and laden with chocolate chips, but he was using an ice cream scoop to put the dough on parchment paper lined baking sheets! What was that?!

This was WAY before Martha Stewart popularized the techniques and tools from a gourmet restaurant and showed us how to incorporate them into our home kitchens. I had never seen anyone use a scoop for cookie dough! Nor had I ever heard of parchment paper. These cookies were nothing like the misshapen and hodge-podge cookies we were turning out in our kitchen!

For more than twenty years, my Uncle Winn's cookies have been one of the most anticipated treats at family gatherings. Recently, he shared his recipe in a family cookbook and he's generously allowed me to share it with you!

Uncle Winn's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 lids of vanilla (about 2 tsp)
3 cups Quaker Normal Oats (quick oats, NOT old fashioned)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 pkg of milk chocolate chips or raisins

Preheat oven to 375º F.

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add quick oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix well. Mix in chocolate chips. Using a large scoop, scoop out cookies onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until edges are golden. Don't over bake!

Transfer to cooling racks and enjoy!

Isn't this afghan amazing? My Grandmother Mangum crocheted it in the 70's and I'm BLOWN AWAY at the warm memories this blanket evoke in me and now as an adult, how brilliant her color combinations are! That super crazy brilliant pop of neon coral/peach against the dark green and olive green. LOVE that this afghan is crocheted in a wool blend and that it has retained it's shape and texture. LOVE IT!