Lemon Thyme and Ginger

Kitchen Sink Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

Cookies, Dessert | June 9, 2017 | By

What do you get when you combine, rolled oats, sun-dried raisins, butterscotch chips, dark chocolate chips and cinnamon? You have everything but the kitchen sink oatmeal cookies. This recipe is a family favorite and one of our staple cookie recipes. Kitchen sink oatmeal cookies have stood the test of time and saw this family through growth spurts, swim meets, birthdays, snow days, fun days, and holidays.

I got this recipe about 19 years ago from a friend. Our children were in nursery school together and it was her turn to bring the school snack. I can still hear Jane’s friendly voice telling me about her cookies.

Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies reicpe

Me: “What are these cookies? They are delicious.”

Jane:  “They are Kitchen Sink Cookies.”

Me: Perplexed and speechless as I tried to grasp the meaning behind naming cookies after a kitchen sink.  Certainly, my kitchen sink was not an appetizing sight, especially after making cookies. Obviously, I was not to date with familiar expressions.

Jane: Seeing my befuddled expression rescues me from my confusion and with a joking smile on her face says, “They’re called Kitchen Sink Cookies because they have everything in them but the kitchen sink.”

Me: (LOL) “Oh yeah, I get it. Right.”

With that mystery solved, Jane gladly shared her recipe.

Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies recipe

Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies reicpe

The real surprise inside these oatmeal cookies is the blast of buttery caramel from the butterscotch chips. Even though there is a decent amount of butter, the butterscotch makes everything stand out. Every bite is loaded with surprises. I believe there is no such thing as too many goodies mixed into cookie dough.

When I make these cookies, I feel like I am not just sharing cookies, but my family’s history as well. This oatmeal cookie recipe begins when my youngest son attended preschool and fills many spaces up to the present. Hopefully, there will be several  opportunities to share these oatmeal cookies in the future. Every time I make these cookies, clear memories of each of my sons come to mind. It is one of the great things about homemade cookies. Not only do they bring joy, but they share a story of life well lived.

Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies reicpe

One memory I have, and it always gives me a laugh, is from Andrew’s college years. You would think nothing would outshine cute preschoolers eating cookies with their classmates, but imagine college varsity swimmers inhaling a bag of cookies after an exhausting swim meet. That is a sight to see. Think of Doctor Seuss characters with crazy spiked hair and large funnel-shaped mouths, sucking up everything in its path. 

After giving Andrew two bags of Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies to share with the team, I noticed everyone seemed restless. The whole team sat on the bleachers, supposedly listening to their coach go over the team’s accomplishments after a triumphant swim meet. However, all the swimmers discretely had their eye on the bags of cookies. Their facial expressions said, “Where’s the cookies?” while glancing back and forth from their coach to their teammates searching for the cookie trail.

I discovered Andrew was on a mission to hide the cookies from his best friend. A person who had no problem inhaling the double batch of cookies in one bite, especially after a swim meet.  When I caught up with Andrew I saw a full bag of crumbles, not a full bag of homemade with love oatmeal cookies.  I imagined this bag of cookies being tossed about and stuffed into backpacks just to keep them out of sight. Andrew did not mind because with his mission accomplished, that bag of cookie crumbles was all for him.

Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies reicpe

I really like cookies and for many years always had them in the house. Between myself, Joe, and three sons we easily went through more than one box of cookies a week. If there weren’t any cookies in our pantry, the boys would say there was no food in the house.

We are now better behaved. Several years ago I made a promise to myself, I would no longer buy cookies. If I wanted them, I would make them, or someone else in the family could. I made this promise to cut back on processed food and lose weight. It worked, and over the years I kept this promise 98% of the time. It is not as much of an inconvenience as I first thought.

There is a big difference in flavor and texture between homemade and store-bought cookies. If you are going to eat sweets, then you might as well eat the freshest and healthiest option you can.

Fortunately, when I make kitchen sink oatmeal cookies they satisfy everyone’s favorite cookie requirement. Joe and Andrew’s favorite cookie is oatmeal raisin. I always want some form of dark chocolate in my cookies, and Evan and Taylor are just happy to have them. Making one batch beats buying multiple boxes from the store every time.

Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies recipe

Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies reicpe

Making cookies instead of buying them is an easy promise to keep. I discovered it is not a major production to do. Besides, cookies are timeless and every generation enjoys having fresh made cookies, as they bring out the child spirit in all of us.

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Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies recipe

Kitchen Sink Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

These chewy oatmeal cookies are loaded with raisins, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. They have have lots of great flavor with a pop of buttery caramel from the butterscotch. They make a perfect snack with fruit or a great casual dessert. Nutmeg is another spice that tastes great with oats. Substitute the cinnamon with 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg up to 1/2 teaspoon for a change of pace.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Author Ginger

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups 223 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp 1 g baking soda
  • 1 tsp 2 g cinnamon (or 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg)
  • 1/2 tsp 1 g Kosher salt
  • 1/2 lb / 2 sticks / 226 g butter, softened but still cool
  • 1 cup 192 g firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup 109 g granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp 3 g pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups 253 g old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 heaping cup 85 g raisins
  • 1/2 heaping cup 88 g Semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 heaping cup 88 g butterscotch chips

Instructions

  1. If you are cooking one cookie sheet at a time, arrange the oven rack in the center position in your oven. Preheat oven to 350F / 175C/ Gas Mark 4 and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl add the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon and stir with a wire whisk until evenly mixed. Set aside
  3. In a bowl of a stand mixer, or handheld mixer, beat together on medium to medium-high speed, the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until soft and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until the eggs are thoroughly combined.
  5. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed to start just for the flour to get absorbed in the batter. Then turn the seep up to medium and mix until just combined. This does not take long so be careful not to overmix the dough.
  6. Add the rolled oats and mix until just combined.
  7. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the raisins, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips until evenly combined in the cookie dough.
  8. Drop rounded tablespoons (1 oz / 32 g) of cookie dough on the cookie sheet, spaced about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
  9. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.
  10. Cool on cookie sheet for 3 minutes, then move the cookies to cool on a cooling rack.
  11. Store the cookies in an airtight container on the counter. Should stay fresh for a couple of days.

Recipe Notes

If you wish, spoon the cookie dough on a cookie sheet then cool in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Then bake. They might take a minute or too longer to bake. The chilled dough makes the cookies a little lighter and fluffier then when you bake the dough beginning at room temperature.

If you are baking more than one rack at a time, arrange the oven racks in the upper thirds of your oven. Rotate the cookie sheets from top to bottom rack and front to back halfway between the total cooking time.

© 2017 – 2018, Ginger Smith- Lemon Thyme and Ginger. All rights reserved.

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