Aunt Irva’s Best Ever Oatmeal Cookies

First of all, Happy New Year! I’ve been a bit preoccupied, but I’m finally posting again. My preoccupation has been Bucky McKatt (registered name is Congocoon Where Are My Buccaneers)

This is another in my ‘best ever’ line. My wife makes really good oatmeal cookies, but these are my favorite. That’s partly due to history, probably. I remember helping my mom make these when I was a kid. Keep in mind, when I say ‘best ever’, ‘best’ is subjective, and it mean the best ever whatever-it-is to me only. Your opinion may differ, and I’m okay with you being wrong (that’s a joke, people).

My Great Aunt Irva (pronounced Irvy) gave this recipe to my mom. Mom thinks the recipe may be over 100 years old, and may be from her grandmother. Aunt Irva was 99 when she passed away, so it’s not hard to imagine the recipe is that old or older. This is one of those oatmeal cookie recipes that uses powdered sugar and a glass to flatten the cookies before baking… When I was a kid, I got to help with that part.

When I eat one of these cookies, it makes me think of being a kid, no responsibilities, things were simple. These are just what God meant oatmeal cookies to be!

This is the unadulterated version; adding some butterscotch and chocolate chips is good, too. I’m not a fan of anyone trying to sneak raisins in my food, so I don’t opt for them, but if you like raisins, they can be added, too, or even some pecans or walnuts. But, just as with chocolate chip cookies being just chocolate chip cookies, there’s something pure about the base version that’s hard to beat.

Here’s what you’ve all been waiting for, the recipe:

Prep time is about 15 minutes or so; baking time is about 10 minutes and inactive time is 30 minutes to 2 days.

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup butter (I used all butter, but you can use half butter, half shortening or all shortening)
• 2 eggs-lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats

You don’t need to preheat the oven while mixing the ingredients; the batter is chilled first. I made my batter on Sunday but didn’t bake the cookies until Tuesday. The batter could also likely be frozen if desired.

Cream the brown sugar and butter. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Stir in the dry ingredients and oats. Mix well. Chill dough.

Once the dough is chilled, roll it into walnut sized balls. Roll the dough balls in powdered sugar and place on a greased cookie sheet (I used Silpats). Butter the bottom of a glass and dip the buttered glass bottom in powdered sugar, then slightly flatten cookie balls on cookie sheet. You can put a pecan half in the center of each cookie before baking if you want.

Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees F. I baked mine for 10, as I like them a bit crunchy.

Let them cool a bit before moving them to a cooling rack. When I was a kid, Mom put them on newspaper, which works, too.

I don’t think anyone trying these will be disappointed at all. They’re just good. No, they’re actually great oatmeal cookies… Sometimes old fashioned beats trendy, and this is definitely one of those times!