Oatmeal Scotchies

Choosing and Christmas presents this year was a bit easier: my mom asked me to not bake her something because she was still working on the cookies I'd made her for Mother's Day. And eventually I decided that instead of the frustrating process of making candy for the 5 cousins (I have a neat tool that allows me to melt the candy in the same container that I distribute it out of - except it's hard to get it out into the molds) I would make one batch of M&M cookies and divide it up amongst them.

I still had 7 recipes to choose (8 to make - Dad's is always easy to pick). I added to the ease by choosing Lemon Coconut Squares for Auntie Paldina (I first made them for Mom for Mother's Day 2015). And at one point in the last year, Mom mentioned to me that Kati loved Oatmeal Scotchies (oatmeal butterscotch cookies). At first I was just going to find a good Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookie recipe then substitute butterscotch chips. But I couldn't find one. However, when I looked in the Nestlé Best-Loved Recipes dessert book I have for Dad's cookie, I noticed there's actually a recipe called Oatmeal Scotchies. Did not know this. Don't think I've ever noticed it in all the times I've flipped through that book.

Oatmeal Scotchies (Nestlé Best-Loved Recipes, pg. 11 or here)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or grated peel of 1 orange
• 3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
• 1 2/3 cups (11-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Butterscotch Flavored Morsels

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes for chewy cookies or 9 to 10 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Found out something that my mom and I hadn't known until Kati opened her tin of cookies: her late grandmother used to make them so Kati hadn't had them in about 5 years. Pretty sure this was her second favorite present this year after her son (my nephew) was born.