Conference turris::cooks

    by accident one day I had made a batch of very crispy Oatmeal
    cookies.  I had been following a recipe on the back of the
    oatmeal box, but I found out I only had granulated brown
    sugar, and not firm-packed.  So I used it and the cookies came
    out super.  My husband loved them.  
    
    

    RE .1  The best chewy oatmeal cookie recipe is in the back of the
    Quaker oatmeal box.  None better.
    
    Steve

    This recipe is not OATMEAL, but instead uses TOTAL CEREAL.  It is
    very thin and crispy.  It might be something you would like.  My
    Mom says they taste a lot like the oatmeal scotchy cookies she used
    to like to make.
    
    			"TOTAL" COOKIES
    
    1 cup margarine - very soft
    1 cup sugar
    1 1/2 cup flour
    1 tsp baking soda - scant
    1 tsp cream of tartar
    1 tsp vanilla     
    2 cups 'TOTAL' cereal (do not crush)
    1/2 cup chopped or ground nuts
    
    Beat the margarine and sugar until creamy.  Stir in the dry ingredients
    and the vanilla.              
    
    Add the cereal and nuts.  Mix well.
    
    If dough is real soft, refrigerate before baking.
    
    Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten with fork.
    (They spread out, place about 2 inches apart) 
    
    Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.  They will brown around the edges.
    
    Makes 4 dozen large or 5 dozen small cookies.  
    
              

    If you want crispy oatmeal cookies, use slightly less flour than
    called for in the recipe for crisp oatmeal cookies also store them
    in a cookie jar with a loose fitting cover. 
    
    About cookies that are too sweet, just cut back on the sugar, Most
    cookies come out just fine if you cut the sugar by almost half.
    When sugar prices went out of sight, I did some experimenting and
    found that in almost every case the cookies were as good or better
    with less sugar.

    Whenever I make cookies (of any kind) I always leave out the salt.
    I find that they taste the same, but are crispier.  I didn't think
    that salt had anything to do with it, but it seems to.
    (besides, they're better for you!)
    

    I made the Quaker Oats oatmeal cookies with a twist to the recipe.
    I use a mixture of 1/2 whole wheat/white flour along with
    less sugar. They get better each time I make them, so I'm told!
    
    What should I do if I want to replace the butter with something
    health conscious and keep the consistency decent?

>    What should I do if I want to replace the butter with something
>    health conscious and keep the consistency decent?

Your best bet is margarine (something like "PROMISE" brand) as oil will
definitely change the nature of the cookie, and solid vegetable
shortnings are heavily saturated fat...something "CRISCO" neglects
to mention...

    I know this is an old note, but I thought I'd add my 2 cents 
    worth since I just finished making a batch of my moms CRISPY
    oatmeal cookies.
    Trick: use the butter in the recipe to BROWN the oatmeal first!
    
    Unfortunately I do not have the complete recipe here. Will post
    if someone wants it.
    
    Monica
    

    
        Mom's Toasted Oatmeal Cookies.
    
        - in skillet heat 3/4 cup butter or margarine, add 2.5 cups oats,
          sautay, stirring constantly until goldern brown. Remove from
          heat and let cool. (This will take 10 - 15 minutes depending
          how attentive you are -- don't let them burn...)
    
        - In large bowl mix 1 egg, 1 cup brown sugar, a little vanilla
          and beat until light
    
        - Combine 1/2 cup flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt, and 
          t/2 tsp baking soda.
    
        - stir in oat mixture and flour mixture to wet ingredients until
          well combined.
    
        - drop teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets
    
        - bake at 375F for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
    
    
    Enjoy!
    Monica

RE: .7   We use Applesauce instead of butter or margerine.  Unsweetened, 
generic applesauce (very inexpensive) will give you cookies moisture and 
nutrition and a great flavor, not to mention the reduced fat content.
Remember though, they will not spread like they would when made with 
butter or marg.  

    Would someone please post the Quaker Oatmeal cookie recipe for me.  I
    live in the UK and can't get a box to get the recipe off.  I had the
    recipe for years and have lost it.

    Many thanks in advance,

    Gailann

> Would someone please post the Quaker Oatmeal cookie recipe for me.

	Here's the current one they list.  It differs from the
	one they used to have about 10 years ago, but I can no
	longer find that one (for example, it used vegtable
	shortning instead of margarine).

	Also note that I never bother to combine the flour/etc
	before adding to the margarine mixture.  I've also
	used whole wheat flour for part of the flour (50/50
	wheat with white seems to be ok).  Also in a kitchenaid
	you can get up to a double batch (but it's not easy :-).

		QUAKER'S BEST OATMEAL COOKIES

1.25 cups margarine
0.75 cup firmly packed brown sugar
0.50 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1.50 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
0.25 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

Heat oven to 375F.  Beat together margarine and sugars until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla.  Combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices; add to
margarine mixture, mixing well.  Stir in oats.  Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls
onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8 to 9 minutes for a chewy cookie, 10 to 11
minutes for a crisp cookie.  Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to write
cooling rack.  Stor in tightly covered container.  Makes 4.50 dozen.

Oatmeal cookie squares.  press dough onto bottom of ungreased 13x9inch pan.
Bake about 25 minutes or until light golden brown.  cool completely; cut
into 1.50 inch squares.  Store in tightly covered container.  Makes 4 dozen.

Variations: add any one or combination of two of the following ingredients, if
desired; 1 cup raisins, chopped nuts, or semi-sweet chocolate, butterscotch or
peanut butter flavored pieces.

    Thanks a million!

    Last week I made the Quaker Oatmeal cookies and I ran into
    a problem.  The cookies spread so thin that it was hard to
    remove them from the cookie sheet without them falling apart.
    What did I do wrong?  Maybe I put too much dough per cookie.
    Maybe the margarine contained too much water (I used Imperial
    sticks).  I measured my ingredients carefully, so I don't
    think the measurements were off.  I used pre-sifted all-purpose
    flour (I think all flour is pre-sifted now).
    
    Any help would be appreciated.
    
    Thanks,
    Terry

�                     <<< Note 582.16 by BASEX::WERNETTE >>>
�                    -< Cookies spread too much when baking >-

�    Maybe the margarine contained too much water (I used Imperial

Margarine by itself is usually okay.  However, was it "regular" or 
"unleaded"? (meaning low or non-fat?)  Most of the low and non-fat 
butter/margarine type products replace the fat with water.  While this
might be good healthwise, it can really ruin a recipe...

    I used regular margarine.
    
    Maybe my oven temperature is off.  Could that do it?
    

    Just to update anyone interested.  I bought a Woman's Day
    magazine this weekend because it had a section on Christmas
    cookies.  One of the tips they gave stated substituting 
    margarine for butter in a recipe requires that you add more
    flour.  Unfortunately, they did not give a ratio.  So my
    problem has been solved - from now on I will use butter.
    
    Terry