I have used the one on the Quaker Oats lid for many years. It has never failed me. It's soft and chewy. Weather is terrible here so I think I will bake also.

Happy baking.

Yep, Quaker Oats recipe is my favorite.

I baked my way almost all the way through an oatmeal cookie thread that I posted here once, in search of my perfect oatmeal cookie recipe. I like mine on the border between "soft" and "chewy." Soft on the inside, crisp on the outside. I never did find my ideal one, but lots of them came close. For me, one way to get my ideal texture is to use half butter and half margarine. Now I know some folks won't hear of margarine, but I like them made that way. I couldn't find that thread anymore, it was about four years ago. But I still have all the pages printed out. My notes on the Quaker Oats box ones say, "Good but too cakey when made with all butter." So maybe if you DO make them with all butter, they will come out soft to your liking. My notes also say, "Flatten slightly for best results" which again, if you don't do then maybe you will get a nice cakey cookie. Oh, and using soft wheat flour (pastry flour) also helps give you tender results, although in my experience it makes a bigger difference with whole wheat flour than with white. Also I think you want to use the quick oats, not the old fashioned ones, because they can give a chewy texture to the cookies. I only use old fashioned but I like chewy things, lol!

Here is the long-ago original recipe from the Quaker Oatmeal box. I understand the one printed there now is different. This is the one that I have always used and everyone enjoys so very much

Original Quaker Oatmeal Cookies

3 cups Quaker oats, (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350. Grease cookie sheet. Combine oats, flour, salt and baking soda. In large bowl, beat together shortening, sugars, egg, water and vanilla until creamy. Add dry ingredients, mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. For variety you can add chopped nuts, raisins, chocolate chips or coconut

As far as molasses in the brown sugar, I haven't heard that they have removed it. I would say you should use brown sugar, you can tell a difference. Makes for a softer cookie I think. I need to check my brown sugar & see its ingredients.

Quick Quaker oats, the recipe on the box lid. Using all butter.

Brown sugar ingredients, at least C&H

Here is a link that might be useful: just sugar and molasses

Whistle, Dedtired & CC: I did make the ones on the oatmeal lid and they were soft vs.crispy and went over well with the grandkids.

lpinkmountain: I think you described what I was really wanting, but not describing well--soft on the inside but chewy. I realized I like the flatter cookies--suppose that would mean pressing with a fork or glass-
top before baking or making a different batter that would spread more.

ngraham:sounds like olychick has found the answer to my question--just buy C&H. Now I'm curious and will have to check the other brands when I buy brown sugar.

Walnutcreek: Thanks for the info on the recipe change. I will have to try it next time.

From Old Sturbridge Village:
Oatmeal Cookies
2 C brown sugar
1 C shortening
2 eggs, beaten
2 C sifted flour
3 C quick-cooking oatmeal
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C raisins

Cream together the sugar and shortening. Add beaten eggs and vanilla, Sift flour with soda and salt, stir in oatmeal, and stir the dry ingredients into the batter. Beat well. Add raisins and stir thoroughly. Put 1/4 C sugar into a small bowl. Dip fingers into the sugar, then pinch off a bit of dough and roll it to the size and shape of a walnut. Dip the ball into the sugar. Place balls on a greased cookie sheet about 3" apart. Bake at 375 for 12-15 min. This recipe makes 4 doz soft cookies, or it may be rolled, chilled and sliced to make 6 doz thin crisp cookies.

L-G then you might be interested in my additional note, "Use a FLAT bottomed glass to flatten, not concave or convex." I used a concave one (like a wine bottle) and my cookies turned out thick in the middle and thin on the edges.

This post was edited by lpinkmountain on Tue, Dec 10, 13 at 9:53

I've never been a fan of oatmeal raisin cookies because I don't like raisins, but I did have oatmeal cookies made by a friend that I loved. She added some ground flax meal and used dried apricots instead of raisins. She also used almond extract instead of vanilla. I don't remember how much flax seed meal she used, but I think it was around a half cup. She said she used the Quaker Oats recipe as a starting point. They were the best oatmeal cookies I've ever eaten. I haven't tried duplicating recipe yet, but maybe I will soon.

Sally

Walnutcreek, I used your Original Quaker Oatmeal Cookie recipe and it didn't turn out at all for me. Followed the ingredients and directions exactly, but they spread like crazy and were only about 1/8 thick. Added 1/2 of cup of flour, 1/2 tsp. baking soda and another egg and they are a tad bit better, but not much. Think I'll stick with the Amazing Vanishing Oatmeal Cookie recipe on the Quaker container.

LG, glad the grands liked the cookies. :) I can't remember whether it was someone on this forum or somewhere else who said, A good cookie is just sugar and butter and enough flour to hold it together. Can't go wrong with that theory. I really haven't met an oatmeal raisin cookie that I didn't like.

Whistle