Every Balanced Diet Should Include Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Right? {Recipe}

A very wise person once said, “A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand”.

Unfortunately, no one knows who said that, but I am pretty sure that Julia Child would agree. I mean, Julia did say, “The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook” and “If you’re afraid of butter, just use cream.” She is my kind of lady. Let me just pause a moment to say…I love you, Julia.

OK, so my problem is that for too many years I was not afraid to use butter or cream so now I’ve been forced to bring that four letter word into my life. You know…the one that starts with a D and ends with IET. For the last 8 weeks there has been no butter, cream, chocolate, or cookies in my life. Yeah, life pretty much sucks. However, I can live vicariously through you guys and my husband who could eat a Bacon-a-tor and Super Sized Fries every day and not gain an ounce. Men.

So, today I bring you our favorite cookie.

The Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Everyone loves them. Kids, adults, ME. You can’t even begin to compare them with a prepackaged mix or premade cookie dough you buy at the store. They are also extremely easy and quick to make so there’s no reason not to make them. And, you know…a thought just came to me…these cookies have oatmeal in them so you could say they are healthy. Four one cookie won’t hurt, right? That’s my story and I’m sticking with it.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter {1 stick}, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt on a sheet of waxed paper. In another bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth.  Reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture.

With spoon, mix in oatmeal and chocolate chips.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, 2 inches apart, on large cookie sheet {lined with parchment paper or silpat}. I like to use a scoop that way all the cookies are about the same size.

Bake 12 minutes or until the edges are just golden. Wait a minute and then with wide spatula, transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

These are best downed with a cold glass of milk. I dare you to eat just one. Until next time, “Bon Appétit!”