The Best Oatmeal Cookies...ever!

I have never been a huge fan of oatmeal cookies. I prefer chocolate chip or snickerdoodle (YUM!!). But, one day my kids where asking for cookies. I had oatmeal in the cupboard, and figured  oatmeal cookies couldn't be that bad of a treat, afterall, they do have oatmeal right?

I  ended up using the recipe on the box of oatmeal.  But it needed something else. I tried to think of something that might actually make them yummy. I had raisins - added those. I even had dried cranberries, and added those too. But, it need something else. Ground ginger? Why not? I added that. And that it seems, turned plain old, bland, oatmeal cookies to something fabulous!!

So here is the recipe, straight from the Quaker Oatmeal box with a little added something...

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies:

1/2 C (1 stick) plus 6 Tbsp butter, softened
3/4 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
3 C Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 C raisins

Now, here is what I added:
•Instead of 1 C raisins, I did 1/2 C raisins + 1/2 C dried cranberries.
•I added the cinnamon, but also added 1/2 tsp ground ginger.

1. Heat oven to 350 F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well
3. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt; mix well.
4. Add oats, raisins, and other dried fruit; mix well.
5. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfulls (I use a cookie scoop) onto ungreased cookie sheets.
6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Bar Cookies: Bake 30-35 minutes in ungreased 13 x 9 inch metal baking pan.