Grandma’s Oatmeal Cookies

Here’s a classic, chewy Oatmeal Cookie! This was Grandma’s favorite oatmeal cookie recipe, made with oats, brown sugar, white sugar, flour, and shortening. Walnuts and raisins are optional.

I’ve been going through our family’s stash of recipes and came across my grandmother’s oatmeal cookie recipe. She passed away several years ago at age 97 (she was born in 1899).

It’s funny how just seeing my grandma’s handwriting conjures up old memories of being a little girl and making these delicious old fashioned oatmeal cookies with her.

She had a real sweet tooth and we are still amazed she lived so long given her penchant for cookies, lemon meringue pie, and jelly-filled donuts.

My grandmother taught me how to measure, how to mix, and taught me a love of cooking, all through these homemade oatmeal cookies.

How Grandma Made Her Cookies

She used shortening (Crisco), not butter, which makes a more tender, chewier cookie in my opinion, though I tend to bake more often with butter than shortening.

Her oatmeal cookies usually included walnuts and raisins, though you can skip either if you want.

Storing and Freezing Oatmeal Cookies

The cookies will keep for several days in an airtight container on the counter. They also freeze well.

  • To freeze unbaked dough: Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Scoop out the raw cookie dough, just as if you were going to bake the cookies now, and arrange the scoops close together on the cookie sheet. Freeze until the dough balls are solid, then transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to a month. Bake as directed from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the cooking time.
  • To freeze baked cookies: Stack a few cookies on top of each other and then wrap tightly in foil. Repeat until all the cookies are wrapped, then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to a month. Thaw on the counter before eating.

Love cookies? Try these

Updated July 1, 2019 : We spiffed up this post to make it sparkle. No changes to the original recipe.

Grandma’s Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup shortening
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 large eggs, well beaten
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (we use Quaker Quick or Old Fashioned. Do NOT use instant.)
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (use 1/2 cup if using raisins)
  • 1 cup raisins (optional)

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2 Make the cookie dough: Beat together the shortening and sugars. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and beat well.

Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Add to sugar and egg mixture and mix well. Add a tablespoon of water. Add raisins (if using) and nuts. Add oats last.

3 Bake: Spoon out by heaping tablespoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack.

4 Cool completely. Cookies will keep for several days in an airtight container on the counter.


Links:

Oatmeal Lace Cookies by Irvin Lin

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies by Elise Bauer

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, a classic!