oatmeal cookies with 'lots of goodies'

i rarely blog about baking because it is not my favorite... too restricting! i always feel like i am back in chemistry lab. i do know that if you follow the chemistry of baking that you can add all kinds of extras as long as you measure all the important stuff. i am not a chocolate chip cookie fan, especially the soft ones. i like my cookies to be either chewy or crunchy. this is my #1 choice. the nice thing about it is if you do not like one of the extras or goodies as i call them, you can always double up on the ones you like.

oatmeal cookies with raisins, chocolate chips, walnuts and coconut

1/2 pound softened butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons milk
2ggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

dry ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup pastry flour
1 teaspoon each of salt, baking powder and baking soda

the goodies
2 cups oats
1 cup raisins
1 heaping cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup coconut

cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. add the eggs,milk and vanilla

sift the dry ingredients and stir into the sugar and butter mixture.

fold in the oats and other 'stuff'.

preheat oven to 350 degrees

i use 2 soup spoons for shaping these cookies. try to shape them into balls as you put them on the cookie sheet and make sure they are at least 2 1/2 inches apart...they spread. they are about 3 inches across after they are baked. the recipe makes 3 times the amount in the picture (family got the rest).

bake for 8-15 minutes depending on the size and your oven. watch the first batch carefully and do not over bake. when they are light brown on the edges, remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before placing on the cooling rack,newspaper or whatever you use to cool your cookies. they will harden when they are cool.

enjoy!