Oatmeal Cookies with Apples, Caramel, and of course, CHOCOLATE !!

Why have ordinary Oatmeal cookies when you can have Extraordinary Oatmeal Cookies? These cookies are soft, chewy and loaded with flavor.

Oatmeal + Apples + Caramel + Chocolate = Phenomenal Cookies

Did You Know:

• The Quaker Oats Company published their first recipe in 1908 calling the cookies “Oat Cakes”
• In 1929, the recipe was reformulated and rebranded as ” Oat Macaroons”
• The drop method of cookie dough onto cooking pans was born with the new Oat Macaroon recipe
• In 1943, The Quaker Oats Company made changes to their recipe again and started calling them oatmeal cookies
• During the war, shortening and /or butter was replaced with bacon dripping because of rationings ( I am a big bacon fan, but bacon dripping in cookies …I am not so sure about )
• Dried fruit replaced sugar. It is thought that this is when adding raisins became the common practice with making oatmeal cookies
• Quarters “Quick Oats” is one of the first “convince ” food products made in 1922

Extraordinary Oatmeal Cookies

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped dried apples
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 5 cups Oatmeal
• 2 cups unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup caramel baking bits.. (I use Krafts)
• 18 ounces chocolate chips
• 1 4 ounce Hershey bar chopped into small pieces

Instructions

Prepare the Apples

• Chop up the dried apples into small pieces and place them into a medium size bowl or 4 cup measuring cup…see notes
• Add brown sugar, cinnamon and water to the apples. Stir well.

  The brown sugar and cinnamon will coat the apples. The small about of water is just to aid in the ingredients mixing up well. There should not be fluid at the bottom of the bowl/cup

  Set the apples aside

Preparing the Oats

• Pulse the 5 cups of the Oats in a food processor to break them down. The goal is not to grind the oats until they turn into powder form. It is just to reduce the overall size of the oats .

  Place the oats aside

Making the Cookie Dough

• In large standmixer, cream the butter for 5 minutes. The butter should become pale in color and light and fluffy.
• Add the white and brown sugar to the butter. Mix well for about another 5 minutes.
• Add in the eggs into the butter one at a time. Mixing well before adding an additional one.

  Add the vanilla and mix.
• Add flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda to a extra large measuring cup or a medium size mixing bowl. Stir to mix the ingredients together

  (I use a large measuring cup because I love the ease that it provides for adding the ingredients to a stand mix)
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix well
• Add the oats to the flour and butter mixture
• Remove the mixing bowl from the stand
• Using a large spacula, stir in the apples, the carmel bits, and the chocolate
• Place the dough into the refrigator for 15-20 minutes…the whole mixing bowl

Baking the Cookies

• Preheat the oven to 375 degree
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper
• Remove the cookie dough bowl from the refrigerator
• Using a spoon scoop up a spoonful of dough and roll the dough into a ball using the palms of your hands.

  Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet

  Place the cookie sheet with dough on it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.

  ( You will have less spreading of your cookies if the dough ( the butter in the dough) is really cold when it goes into the oven.)
• After 10 minutes in the refrigerator, bake the cookies for 10 -12 minutes. Check at 10 minutes and add a minute or two as needed. The cookies will be done when the edges start to brown.

  Cook on cooling rack

  Place in airtight container to store when the cookies are completely cooled.

Notes

• I use measuring cups whenever possible. I mix my dry ingredients in a extra large measuring cup instead placing it in a mixing bowl. The spout on the measuring cup makes it easy to transfer the ingredients to the running stand mixer. 

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: Create Oatmeal cookies with apples, caramel and chocolate, Extraordinary Oatmeal cookies, How to make oatmeal cookies, Oatmeal cookies with apples, caramel, and Chocolate, The best oatmeal cookies

Servings: 6 Dozen

Author: Beverly

I can not wait to hear your feedback after making these cookies.

Please leave me a comment and of course, show me your bakes.

Cheers……..Happy Baking