Quaker Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies

These are the oatmeal cookies Quaker printed on the lid for years, and there’s a reason home bakers kept it. Brown sugar dominates the dough, which gives the cookies a butterscotch undertow that plain sugar can’t pull off.

The oats do double duty here, adding chew and soaking up enough moisture to keep the cookies from spreading into thin lace. Quick or old-fashioned oats both work, but old-fashioned give a sturdier bite.

Mixing order matters. Cream the butter and sugars long enough to lighten in color, beat in the eggs and vanilla thoroughly, then fold in the dry ingredients last so you don’t overwork the gluten. Drop them in rounded tablespoons and watch the clock closely. The bake time is the lever between chewy and crisp.

Kitchen Tips

• Pull cookies at 9 minutes for soft, gooey centers. The middles look underdone but firm up on the sheet.
• Bake to 12 or 13 minutes if you want a crackly, snappy edge.
• Let cookies rest 1 minute on the hot pan before moving to a wire rack so they don’t tear.
• Use real butter instead of margarine for richer flavor and better browning.
• Chill the dough 30 minutes if your kitchen runs warm. Cold dough holds its shape and bakes thicker.

Variations

• Swap half the chocolate chips for chopped pecans or walnuts and a handful of dried cherries.
• Use white chocolate chips and dried cranberries for a holiday spin.
• Stir in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg for a warmer, oatmeal-raisin-style flavor.