Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies

Smitten Kitchen, Smitten Kitchen... how I worship and love thee! When I saw these cookies posted by Deb in November, I was sold. Hook, line and sinker. I think I may have drooled while looking at the screen (don't tell anyone, and sadly, this happens all too often). I've been thinking about them for 2+ months though because I hadn't the opportunity to make them. Well, no more! After all, January is Oatmeal Month. If that isn't a special, good enough reason to make these, I don't know what is.

Slide over Mrs. Fields, there's a new lip smacking cookie in town: the Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, Pecan Cookie. Oh my.

Soft, with a little crunch. A winning combination of oats and chocolate. Then, add the nutty flavor and some spices... mmmm. Truly a great cookie. I ate 3 immediately out of the oven (darn this pregnancy sweet tooth!).


They're chocolate chip cookies kicked up a 1,000 watt notch. Make. These. Soon.

Just for fun, consider making these into ice cream sandwiches this summer! Easy kid-friendly project, and oh so tasty. I know what you're thinking though, "How can I possibly be thinking of summer and ice cream sandwiches when it's so cold outside?!". The answer is, I think about ice cream all the time.

Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies
thank you Smitten Kitchen!

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2 cups chopped pecans
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest (optional) - I did not use
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment or a Silpat (rubber nonstick baking mat).

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla, and beat until well mixed, about 3 minutes. Stir in eggs, one at a time.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove in a separate bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter with the mixer on low speed. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the second half.

Stir in the oats, pecans, orange zest, and chocolate chips.

Drop the dough, by the tablespoon, onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on a rack. Store at room temperature in a cookie jar or other airtight container.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

More on the oatmeal cookie blogger front:
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, from La Cuisine d'Helene
- Oatmeal and Dark Chocolate Cookies, from La Tartine Groumande
- Agave and Oatmeal Honey M&M Cookies, from The Recipe Girl
- Cranberry, Pistachio and White Chocolate Chip Cookies, from Closet Cooking

Guten appetit!