Sugar & Spiced Chocolate Chip Cookies

    When I first tasted the cinnamon mixed in with chocolate chip–oatmeal cookies, I was sold. Jane Medina adapted a basic recipe to create these great cookies, and I’ve made a couple of other adjustments since. As a matter of fact, I liked the cookies so much that I included in recipe in The Kirby House Cookbook, and often made them for catered events.

Sugar & Spiced Chocolate Chip Cookies   Yield: about 5 dozen cookies

1¼ cup packed brown sugar 

½ cup shortening (Crisco®)

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2½ cups uncooked, quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats

1 cup coarsely chopped nuts, optional (Jane uses toasted pecans)

12 -ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1.     Preheat oven to 375°. 

2.     In large mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, shortening, butter and granulated sugar. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. 

Combining the sugars and fats called for in the recipe.

3.     Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until well blended. 

4.     Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Beat at low speed until soft dough forms.

5.     Stir in oats, nuts and chocolate chips. Dough can be chilled now, or immediately go on to step # 6.

I did chill the dough for about an hour before forming it into cookies.

6.     Use a cookie scoop or teaspoon to dip out a ball of dough. Place balls about 2” apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake about 8 minutes. 

7.     Let cool for 1 minute before removing from cookie sheets. Cool completely before storing.

Baked cookies have cooled and are ready to remove from the sheet.
I did use a silicon liner in the sheet pan.