From one batch of cookie dough, you can make three kinds of magic

This inventive recipe from Chrysta Wilson, author of Kiss My Bundt recipes from the award-winning bakery teaches you how to transform a batch of traditional oatmeal cookie dough into three different, tempting cookie recipes. The idea is to master the basic dough then customize it with a variety of mix-in ingredients.

So although Chrysta promised us three different oatmeal cookies with this one recipe, she really delivered four, since you can make the plain, tried and true cookie variety without any adornment.

Three oatmeal cookie variations

#1: Plain Oatmeal Cookies with Pecans and Walnuts

#2: Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip Cookies

#3: Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies: (Oatmeal Cookies with Golden Raisins, dried cherries, and walnuts)

Chrysta explains, “Essentially, these are the same cookies with a little something added in each one. I like to serve them to guests. But they’re also great for wrapping up to give as homemade gifts. You can customize them to each recipient’s taste preferences. Here’s the whole plan in two simple steps.”

A two-step process to making customized cookies

Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough Recipe

First, make the dough. My recipe is largely based on the famous “Vanishing Oatmeal Cookie” recipe that is in the lid of Quaker Oats. My mom wasn’t a baker, so if it wasn’t out of a box, it was a recipe from the box!

Step 2: Then add your “mix-ins.” If you want nutty cookies, add 1/2 cup each of the walnuts and pecans. Or add in 1 cup chocolate chips. Or follow the instructions below for Kitchen Sink.

Although most of us think of oatmeal cookies as quintessential comfort food, they’re actually composed of several aphrodisiac ingredients. For starters, you might be surprised to learn that oats are aphrodisiac. (Learn more about the aphrodisiac side of oats.) Then, depending on your “mix-ins,” you’re layering your cookies with ingredients linked with romance!

Love cookies? Check out all of our cookie recipes.

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An Oatmeal Cookie 3-Way

With this recipe you can take one batch of oatmeal cookie dough and have cookies three different ways.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Dish Type: cookies

Cooking Style: Baking

Seasonal: Christmas, Easter, Holiday season

Ingredient: oatmeal

Created by: Chrysta Wilson

Ingredients

7 oz butter 1 3/4 sticks
3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup all-purpose four
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice* I use this because I like the spice blend. You could substitute this for nutmeg or additional cinnamon.
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 3/4 cups quick oats uncooked

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Beat together butter and sugar until cream.
Add eggs and beat until they blend into the butter/sugar mixture. *Baker’s note: Don't whip like you would for a cake. We don't want to beat air into this dough like we could cake batter. Mix the eggs just until they disappear, then stop beating.
To the sugar mixture, add the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
Mix in the oats.
Separate into three bowls, and add your "add-ins".

Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies: Add 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans, 1/4 cup of raisins, 1/4 c chopped dried cherries (you want them the same size as the raisins)

Now that the dough is made, they are ready to bake. Here are two tips that will help your cookies get to perfection:
Get yourself a "disher" or ice-cream scoop. It makes sure that each cookie is the same size.
Scoop your cookie dough onto a baking pan, and place in the fridge or freezer for at least 1 hour up to 24 hours. Why? When you place fresh (room temp) cookie dough in a hot oven, the butter starts to melt quickly, and the cookies will spread into each other before they have a chance to set into round shape. Cooling also helps relax the glutens in the cookie, making the cookie more tender.

Step 3: Baking Your Cookies

Baking time depends on the size of your cookie dough. Larger cookies have longer baking times.
If you use rounded tablespoonfuls, the cookies should bake about 8-10 minutes.
I used a 1.33 ounce scoop, which is about a heaping 1/8 Cup. It took about 18 minutes to bake.
You know your cookies are "done" when they are brown around the edges and golden on top, and don't appear raw or wet on top. If you're not sure, you can always insert a toothpick in the center of the cookie.
Once the cookies are baked, remove from the oven and let them cool for 1-2 minutes on the cookie sheet. This rest period allows the sides to get firm, making it easier to remove from the pan and onto a cooling rack.

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