Toasted Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

If you're the type of cook who likes to keep the family cookie jar full of homemade treats (lucky family!), this cookie recipe is worth bookmarking because you'll want to make it again and again. From the November 1992 issue of Southern Living, these Toasted Oatmeal Cookies are from the kitchen of Delana Smith of Birmingham, Alabama. Our test kitchen loved these cookies back then, and we think they deserve a second look today, mainly because of the toasted oats, which elevate an everyday cookie into something special. Instead of mixing quick-cooking oats straight from the can into the cookie batter, Smith toasts them in the oven in a sheet pan with melted butter and a cup of chopped pecans. Once the nuts and oats are fragrant and lightly browned, remove them from the oven to cool before adding them to the cookie batter. It's a brilliant technique that takes hardly any effort at all. The toasted oats add a subtle richness and depth of flavor, while the raisins, brown sugar, and cinnamon make these cookies taste comforting and familiar. Best of all, the recipe makes five dozen cookies—perfect for a cookie-loving family, school bake sales, or any occasion you might need to whip up a homey batch of cookies. Which is just about anytime.