"The Best" Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

"The Best" Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies - made dough May 14, 2016 from Averie Cooks

Whenever a cookie claims to be the best in its title, I always have to place the words in quotes since that’s not my claim but someone else’s, typically the person whose blog I got the recipe from. It isn’t meant to cast aspersions on their claim and they could have a super stupendous cookie. But I don’t like to make a personal claim about it being “the best” because what makes something the best cookie to one person doesn’t necessarily make it the best for someone else.

In the case of oatmeal cookies, some people might like thin, crispy cookies. In which case, this soft, chewy cookie wouldn’t be for them. Some might consider cakey cookies the best. This chewy cookie wouldn’t be for them either. But if you like good, chewy, moist oatmeal cookies with a nice brown sugar overtone complemented by semisweet chocolate, then, heck yeah, this is a really good oatmeal cookie.

They spread a bit more than I cared for, even though I did the frozen dough ball thing before baking, but that didn’t detract from their taste. I like oatmeal cookies well enough and this was a good one. I don’t know that I’ve quite found my personal “best” oatmeal cookie just yet but I certainly enjoy the search.

1 large egg

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon, to taste

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch salt, optional

1 heaping cup chocolate chips

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream egg, butter, sugars and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 4 minutes.
2. Scrape down sides of the bowl and add oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and optional salt; beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
3. Add chocolate chips and mix briefly to combine. Do not overmix.
4. Portion dough into golf-ball-size balls, cover and chill or freeze for several hours or overnight.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Evenly space frozen dough balls on baking sheets. Bake 11-12 minutes or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly underbaked, pale and glossy in the center. Do not overbake. Cookies firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving or removing to wire rack to cool completely.