"Good Cookies"


As children I think we all had our favorite places to go where we were able to let our imaginations run free. One of my favorites was 'The Old Smokey Ranch.' It was a Christian campground/retreat that was practically in my back yard. I just had to go around a small pond and a very small forest to get there. The ranch was old. It had awesome steam powered tractors and water pumps and all types of wonders that took me back to a different place in time. The owners, Herman and Hendrina, were amazing. It was such a great experience to have known them. I not only hung out at their ranch, I spent countless hours in Hendrina's kitchen. In hindsight, the woman had the patience of a saint. I asked question after question about how she did things.

In the modern world where microwaves were just gaining popularity, Hendrina still used a cast iron cook stove heated with wood. It amazed me! It was probably the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Some day I plan to have one just like it!

On one of my many excursions to their home, Hendrina was making cookies. They smelled so good! She offered me one and it's chewy texture and buttery flavor had me instantly hooked. I asked her what they were and she simply said, "Good cookies." And so it happened that in 1978 Hendrina gave me the recipe for her 'Good Cookies'. She told me it was an old family recipe and I am guessing from its simplicity that it came from the Depression Era.

Illustrating the power of sharing, this very old recipe has become a current family favorite. And just recently my husband remarked on the buttery goodness of these cookies. And since he has been eating cookies for 40 some years now, he considers himself quite an authority.

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 sticks oleo (translated to 1 cup margarine -not tub- or butter)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350F.
Spray your cookie sheets now with cooking spray. You'll be glad you did.
Mix all ingredients in large bowl except oatmeal and coconut.
A mixer works good for blending it all up.

Add the oatmeal and coconut and mix in with spoon. Oh, I gave up and took off my rings and squished it all together with my hands. And sticky hands are not good to take pictures with. I found the spoon too tedious.
Now, since your hands are already sticky just form some balls about the size of a walnut and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Don't get them too close together because these cookies will spread out.

Bake for 9-10 minutes until edges are brown but middle is not quite set.
The cookie will continue to bake after you've removed them from the oven. If you overbake them they will get crunchy instead of soft and chewy. And we're ALL about soft and chewy! As with any good cookie you might want to have some cold milk on hand.

Comments

Ellie said…
Also Robin, when storing these cookies it's best to put them in layers between wax papers, if you don't you'll have one big blob of cookie, you'll find out if you don't what I'm talking about. They freeze up nicely also if they can get that far. M :)
Robin said…
Good point Mom, thanks for pointing that out. These are a great shipping cookie for those with soldiers overseas. Just freeze first, vacuum seal and ship. They will still be fresh when they arrive.