The Best Cookies in the Entire World. I Promise.

In honor of me feeling the need to energize, I have decided to dedicate this blog to my all-time favorite cookie. It seemed like the natural thing to do.

I first made this recipe at the tender age of eight and I have not looked back since. It has become a family favorite. Perhaps it was passed down from generation to generation. Perhaps the recipe was stolen from the back of a bag of chocolate chips. Or perhaps it was sent from heaven, especially designed to bring an untold amount of bliss to my palate. I have no idea where it came from...it just sort of magically appeared one day, like it was destined to be apart of my life. It was cookie fate.

Or something like that.

So, since I have been abundantly blessed with cookie goodness, I thought I would share this most magnificent recipe with the rest of the world...namely the four people who still read my blog even though I am back home in Littleton and no longer hanging with my peeps in the Middle East.

Are you ready? Do you think you can handle this recipe?

I think you're ready. You are a fairly mature audience.

Okay, here it is: the BEST Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. Ever.

So, let's get started.

Grab a bowl, strap on an apron and prepare to be amazed:

Mixing, pouring and baking performed by Claire.

Throw in some oil, sugar, brown sugar and a couple of eggs...

A couple teaspoons of the good stuff: vanilla.

Love, love, love that smell.

Now, mix the heck out of it.

Keep going...

Now that's what you're looking for: totally mixed up

and gloopy (that is a technical culinary term).

Next, add flour, baking soda and salt. Pay no attention to the fact that the flour is sitting on top of the oatmeal. That is what you call "a short cut to cookie dough."

A picture of the salt container. I have always loved salt containers. There is just something neat about the fact that they are round and made out of cardboard. And the little metal flip-top thing that pours out the salt is so cool. Weird, I know.

Next, stir that up.

Now add the oatmeal. You know, the stuff underneath the flour.

And stir that in.

Okay, so here is the most important part.  Don't skimp, people. Think of this as an investment. Buy the good stuff. And if your grocery store doesn't carry this, just buy the richest, darkest chocolate you can find.

Come to Mama.

Now, mix that up and throw in a handfull of pecans if you are feeling wild.

I call this "perfection." A little salmonella never hurt anyone. Oh it has? Well, just don't think about it.

(Kellie F., this is for you!)

Pop them in the oven for a bit and get on the treadmill. This way it will all balance out...like eating a Snickers and a Diet Coke.

They balance out.

Now comes the good part...

Oh baby.

Oh baby baby.

I cannot tell you how good these are. Eat them as soon as they come out of the oven. I promise, you'll thank me for it.

If you are a stickler for details and measurements, here is the official recipe:

1 cup canola oil

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

3 cups oatmeal

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup pecans, chopped

Mix oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla until combined (and gloopy). Add flour, salt and soda and mix. Add oatmeal, chocolate chips and pecans and mix again.

Drop onto cookie sheet (make them as big as you want!) and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Eat them.

And you're welcome.