Oatmeal Spice Cookies

Oatmeal Spice Cookies 

Pretty sure I ate my weight in cookie dough on this recipe. It was so good-I couldn’t stop, nor did I want to. Adapted from a Paula Deen (that says it all) basic oatmeal cookie recipe, with a twist. I omitted the nuts (I think more people like it this way), and a half cup more raisins, chopped dates (which by the way caramelize-yum), orange extract, Ginger, Nutmeg, and Ground Cloves…..

Ingredients

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 2 teaspoon ground Ginger
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
• 1 cup chopped dates

Directions

1.      In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the oats, flour, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in dates and raisins.

2.      Chill dough for about 45 minutes.

3.      Drop by tablespoons 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes or until golden brown. (10 minutes was the perfect time of you make the cookies only 2 teaspoonfuls). If you are making them bigger, 11 minutes was good. Remove to wire racks to cool.