Mama's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I wrote about Mama's "famous" chocolate chip cookies in another blog post.   She kept the recipe in her first cookbook, a 1955 Betty Crocker book she bought for Home Ec. class in junior college.   It's one of my prized possessions.   Mama had hundreds of cookbooks, but this is the one that kept my attention as I was growing up.   I spent hours reading it and looking at its faded pictures.   She gave it to me before she passed away, along with a second copy she bought at a garage sale.   So, I've got a spare copy!

Here's the original recipe, in Mama's hand:

Mama always doodled as she talked on the phone.

Here's the recipe, with notes and additions:

1 cup butter, softened (Mama always used Superbrand --Winn Dixie's store brand margarine--she said nothing else worked the same; I'm going to  try a butter & margarine/shortening blend)

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt (not in original recipe; I don't think Mama added it)

1 teaspoon water

1 1/2 cup oats

6 oz. chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Cream sugar and butter until blended.   Add eggs.   Stir in dry ingredients well.   Add water, oats and chips.   Stir well.   Drop dough by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.   Cool 1 minute on sheets and remove to cool on wire baking racks.

As I wrote in the post linked above, I've never been able to duplicate Mama's cookies and I don't think it's just my being sentimental.    I'll just keep trying!


Here's a similar recipe from Quaker that is good and close to Mama's:

 1 cup margarine or butter, softened

1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 Tbsp. milk

2 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt (optional)

2 1/2 cups oats

12 oz. chocolate chips

 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 375.   Beat together margarine and sugars until creamy.   Add eggs, milk and vanilla; beat well.   Add combined flour, baking soda and salt; mix well.   Stir in oats, chips and nuts; mix well.   Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.   Bake 9 to 10 min. for a crisp chewy cookie or 12 to 13 min. for a crisp cookie.   Cool for one minute on cookies sheets then allow to cool further on baking racks.