When life gets hectic, I turn to baking. Baking calms my mind and soothes my soul.
Big changes for the Melton household are underway! My head is spinning with all of the adjustments that we are experiencing. After 33 years with different jobs in the same department, Greg has taken a new job. Same company but new department and new responsibilities. He’s excited about the challenges and looks forward to doing something new. I suppose I always fear the unknown.
Then there’s Savannah, our baby; she will begin her junior year of college in a few weeks. She is moving out again in just two weeks. She has been busy painting furniture, making Pinterest projects, and shopping for things she’ll need out on her own.
So, with all of that being said, I recently baked. I have been cooking low-carb for several weeks now, so baking these ooey, gooey, chewy oatmeal cookies was a treat! I love a good oatmeal cookie, and these are the best. Baked in a convection oven they bake in about 5 to 7 minutes. These cookies will spread while cooking to a thin, flat cookie. Lightly brown the edges of the cookies, leaving the middle soft. They should look slightly undercooked in the center when you remove them from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet and they will firm up as they cool.
- 1½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
- ½ c. granulated sugar
- 1 lg. egg
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 3 c. old-fashioned oats
- 1 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 2 tbsp. whole milk
- ½ c. dried cherries
- ½ c. chocolate chips
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- With an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until well combined. Stir in oats, flour, baking soda, and salt until well blended. Stir in milk, dried cherries, and chocolate chips.
- Place 1 tablespoon (slightly rounded, not flat, not heaping) mounds of dough 2-inches apart on the parchment-lined baking sheets. These cookies do spread while baking, so do not place too close together on your baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes (or 5 to 7 in convection oven), or until cooked have browned lighted on the edges but are still soft in the middle.
- Let the cookies cool completely at room temperature on the pan.