Oatmeal Rocks

Oatmeal rocks earn their name. These are thick, craggy cookies with a stiff dough that bakes into dense, chunky drops packed with oats, dates (or raisins), and chopped nuts. They’re not delicate, and that’s exactly the point.

The dough is deliberately stiff. You add only enough milk to bring everything together, and no more. This keeps the cookies from spreading flat and gives them that rocky, peaked shape and satisfying crunch around the edges while staying chewy inside.

Tossing the dry ingredients over the raisins and nuts before combining is an old baker’s trick. The flour coating keeps the heavy mix-ins suspended throughout the dough instead of sinking to the bottom. It also prevents the fruit from clumping together.

Cinnamon is the only spice, which lets the oats and fruit speak for themselves. With both baking powder and baking soda working together, you get a cookie that lifts just enough to stay tender inside despite the stiff dough.

Pro Tips

• Cream the shortening and sugar thoroughly. This is where the cookies get what little airiness they have.
• If the dough feels too dry to drop, add milk a tablespoon at a time. You can always add more but can’t take it back.
• Space cookies an inch apart. These barely spread, so you can fit more on a sheet than most drop cookies.
• Pull them at 10 minutes for chewier rocks, 12 for crunchier.

Variations

• Chocolate chip: Swap half the dates for chocolate chips for a modern twist on the classic.
• Tropical: Use dried pineapple and macadamia nuts instead of dates and walnuts.