These are indeed excellent cookies, but I doubt you will find the exact recipe online. Good luck, though.

Well, a little late but here is an outstanding oatmeal cookie recipe. In fact, my son says I should quit my design job and sell these on the street if I really want to be a success. And when dh took some to work with him one of his colleagues who tried them immediately proposed marriage to me. When dh pointed out that I was already married to HIM, his colleague said, "Yeah, but you gotta die sometime!" Oatmeal Cookies 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 1/2 cup butter (don't use all butter or the cookies will be too soft and spread all over) 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup white granulated sugar 2 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (NOT artificial) 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (this is the secret!) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans Beat the shortening, sugar, and brown sugar in a mixer bowl until creamy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well. Combine the flour, soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in another bowl and mix well. Add to the creamed mixture gradually, mixing well after each addition. Fold in the oats and pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls (I use a mini ice cream type scoop so they will be uniform) onto a baking stone (Pampered Chef or similar) or a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or til light brown. The time will depend on your particular oven. The trick is to get the cookies barely done but not so well done that they are no longer chewy. When cookies come from the oven they should be light brown and look a little bit shiny and wet in places. It should be almost impossible to remove them from the baking sheet immediately from the oven so cool the cookies on the stone or cookie sheet for 2 minutes. During that time they continue to cook a little and become firm enough to remove but they will still be very soft. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely. When the cookies cool they will be delicately crispy on the outside but chewy on the inside. Makes about 3 dozen....and your reputation!

I'm surprised no one posted Ann T's recipe. It's wonderful. At the request of my DSIL, I add chocolate chips now, so he gets to eat both of his favorite cookies at the same time. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Oatmeal - Best Oatmeal Cookies ============================== 1 Cup butter (2 sticks) 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 2/3 cup flour 3/4 Teaspoon baking soda 1/8 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon dash nutmeg 1 1/2 cups rolled oats 1 cup golden raisins 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips Optional: cranberries, nuts, or whatever appeals to you. Preheat oven to 350° Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until smooth. Add vanilla Combine flour, soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir into butter mixture. Add rolled oats. Gently mix in raisins/chocolate chips, etc. Roll into small balls (golf ball size) and flatten with glass dipped in sugar. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Cookie should not get brown. Cool on wire rack.

Thanks folks! I bake cookies pretty often and always make them crisp for the hubs but sometimes a girl just doesn't feel like baking and when you are shopping hungry, well those oatmeal cookies just jumped into my cart, I swear it. Lisa, thanks for the Heloise article - I loved her and I enjoy her daughter also - I'm going to give it a go :)