Chewy Chocolate White Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

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 A few weeks ago I volunteered to be a baker for the funerals at our parish, and I was called for the first time this week! The thought was a little morbid at first, but then I figured it might count for both "feed the hungry" and "bury the dead," and why turn down the opportunity for two corporal works of mercy with one act?

"Would you like to make a dessert or a salad?"

"A dessert!"

I'm actually not much of a baker. On the rare occasions growing up when we had sweets in our house, my older sister was the one who did the baking. But my husband has a ferocious sweet tooth and I've been wanting to improve my baking repertoire, so I tried a new cookie recipe this morning.

The second to last step (before "bake") is "add 1 1/2 cups oats and 2 cups chocolate chips." Yeorg!! We only had 1/2 a cup of oatmeal and 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips left! So I added 1 cup of coconut and 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, and was more than pleased with the results.

True confession: I made cookies instead of cake so we could have some. Does my greediness negate my generosity?

Chewy Chocolate White Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
Adapted to what we had on hand from The Mixer Bible, 2nd Edition (p. 285)
[Printable Version: Here]

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup shredded coconut

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. Place butter in a large bowl and mix butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs sugars and mix, beat in eggs (one at a time) and vanilla. Add flour mixture, in 3 additions. Fold in chocolate chips, oats, and coconut.
3. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake in the middle of a preheated (350° oven) for 10-15 minutes (mine needed a full 15 minutes, but adjust to your own oven), or until golden and slightly firm to the touch. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Other variations: Substitute walnuts or pecans for a portion of the chocolate chips, or use peanut butter chocolate chips, butterscotch, or whatever floats your happy boat.

What are you making?