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Best-Ever Cowboy Cookies
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

1. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

2. In a separate bowl, blend the butter and sugars with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and continue to beat until fluffy, about 1-1/2 minutes. Blend in the vanilla extract.

3. Using a wooden spoon, stir the dry mixture into the butter mixture one half at a time. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Refrigerate the dough for 1 to 2 hours.

4. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large, preferably light-colored baking sheet with aluminum foil, then grease the foil.

5. Using a scant 1/4 cup per cookie, shape the dough into balls and place them on the sheet about 2 inches apart.

6. Use your fingertips to flatten each ball to 1/3 inch thick. Bake the cookies on the center oven rack for 13 to 14 minutes, turning the sheet about halfway through. When they're done, the cookies should be very lightly browned and still look moist. Don't overbake them.

7. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Customizing Cowboy Cookies:
Add some variety to your cookie jar by replacing the walnuts and chips with different mix-in combinations:

Coconut Cowboy Cookies:
1 cup of flaked sweetened coconut, 2 cups of chocolate chips, and 1 cup of chopped walnuts.

Cranberry White Chocolate Cowboy Cookies:
1 cup each of white chocolate chips and dried, sweetened cranberries.

Peanut Butter Cowboy Cookies:
2 cups of peanut butter chips or 1 cup each of peanut butter chips and chocolate chips.

Chewy Chocolate-Chip Oatmeal Cookies
1-3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and oats.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until well blended.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla extract and milk. With a spoon or spatula, blend in the flour mixture and then the chocolate chips.

3. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough about 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes on the middle rack, then rotate each pan and bake for 2 more minutes or until golden. Cool the pans on wire racks for 5 minutes before removing the cookies to the racks to cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen.

Molasses Cookies
14 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups sugar, divided
1/3 cup molasses
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-size bowl, mix the melted butter, 1 cup of the sugar, and the molasses. Beat in the egg. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, stirring until a soft dough is formed.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball in the remaining sugar. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 10 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

(Recipes from FamilyFun)