Nov 22, 2010
I've been making these cookies for more than 15 years. My friends insist that I bring it them every holiday get-together. The posted recipe produces great results, and it is very forgiving of substitutions. It works with butter or margarine (not low-fat margarine, though), bread flour or all-purpose, whole wheat or white flour, pecans or walnuts, quick oats or old-fashioned. The butter can be cold or completely melted. I've even made them with flax seeds instead of an egg for a friend who's allergic to eggs. I switched to using white sugar and a tablespoon of molasses instead of brown sugar, but they're great either way. The biggest single factor in the the texture is the amount of oats; for consistent results, you should weigh the oats. I use 8 oz (slightly less than 3 cups) of quick oats for a softer cookie. One last tip: Use freshly ground nutmeg for the best results. You can taste the difference.
—msieweke
