Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookies

That's right, folks! I'M BACK! I know I've taken a (very) extended leave of absence from this blog, but I made it a New Year's resolution to start this thing back up and to keep it updated, so I'm going to need everyone to keep me accountable. Okay? Okay, thanks!

I've made so many yummy things in the last few months and I feel guilty not sharing all the recipes! I can't lie, since I finally found a "big girl job" last June, I've been slacking a little bit on cooking dinner at night. I'm just tired when I get home. I know- enough of the whining.

Now wait, don't get me wrong- I still cook dinner a lot... it's just things that aren't as time-consuming or extravagant. I'm more into the quick, tasty meals these days. (Emphasis on the "quick".) Baking on the other hand.... now, I always find time to bake :) Y'all know me better than that! With all the stresses that come along, baking is what calms me down and makes me feel better.

Anyways...

I want to share a very special recipe with y'all. This is my Grandma's chocolate chip cookie recipe. These cookies mean so, so much to me. Not only do they remind me of my sweet Grandma, but these are the cookies I grew up with. Just the smell of them brings back so many memories for me.

Growing up, my Grandma lived a street away from me. I loved this because if I was ever bored at home, I would just walk over to Grandma's and there was so much to do there! I have so many good memories of playing in her backyard, swinging on the swing she put on the big oak tree just for her grandkids, shelling pecans from the pecan tree on the side of the house, eating ice cream out of her special dishes, and having big, family dinners at her house. She was such a great cook and I can still remember standing eye-level at her counter-top, watching her gracefully slice bananas into her big bowl of fruit salad, filled with fresh summer fruit. I remember memorizing the way she was holding the fruit in one hand and her paring knife in the other, and now I catch myself cutting things up that way myself. All of her recipes were so delicious and I love that I share the connection of cooking with her. Even when she was sick, I could talk to her about certain recipes I had been trying and I could ask her questions about how to do a certain step in a recipe and get her advice. I could tell how much she loved that I was so passionate about cooking and baking. I just wish that I had more time to cook with her in the kitchen.

My Grandma was the only grandparent I had growing up, so she was always so special to me. She was always there when I needed her and even though she wasn't one of those Grandma's who was physically affectionate (you know the type), it was extremely obvious how much she loved all of us. She would do anything for anyone in her family and she taught us how family is the most important thing in life. 

This past fall, my Grandma lost her battle with Parkinson's disease. She had been sick for a long time, but nothing prepares you for how it feels to lose someone so close to you. I think what got me through it was knowing that she wasn't in any pain anymore and that she was going to be with Grandpa in heaven. She was going to be happy and healthy.

So, I hope y'all enjoy this recipe. It's, without a doubt, one of my favorite recipes of all time. I promise- you'll never taste a better chocolate cookie! And I hope you taste the love in them when you make them, too :)

Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookies
This cookie recipe will knock your socks off! It's perfect. If you like your chocolate chip cookies crispy on the outside and wonderfully chewy on the inside, then look no further than this recipe!

1 c. butter-flavored shortening (This is the key ingredient!)
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. flour
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 c. oatmeal (quick-oats)
1 c. chopped nuts (I use pecans, but walnuts would be good, too)

Let's get started! Go ahead and preheat your oven to 375 degrees. While you're at it, get a baking sheet out and line it with parchment paper. Oh, you don't use parchment paper? Well, you should! It's a God-send. Nothing sticks and clean-up is a breeze! It's only a couple bucks. Pick some up at the store next time!

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Butter-flavored shortening? What in the..." No- trust me. This is what makes these cookies so, stinkin' delicious. I like to think that it makes them a little old-fashioned, too!

You can find butter-flavored shortening right next to the regular all-vegetable shortening. Just look for the yellow Crisco instead of the blue shortening! I like to get the sticks of shortening because they're so much easier to measure.

Another great thing about this recipe: no waiting around for butter to soften! I love it. Waiting for butter to soften is in the same category as watching water boil. Booooooooring and sloooooooooooow. It takes foreeeeeeevvvvvveeeeeerrrr.

Okay, I'll stop.

Get your mixer out and dump in 1 cup, or one stick, of butter shortening and add your two sugars. Did you know that brown sugar is what makes cookies chewy? Yup!! So when you see a recipe with a whole cup of brown sugar, you know you're going to get chewy, wonderful goodness.

Mix those three ingredients up until they're all combined. Once they're combined, crack your two eggs and dump them in the bowl. Combine all the ingredients until everything is evenly mixed. The mixture will be very wet and it will drip off the paddle attachment.

You know how a lot of recipes want you to mix together all the dry ingredients and then dump them in the bowl? Well, the way I see it, that means you have to get another bowl dirty and you have to clean another bowl.

Yeah... we're not going to do that.

With the mixer running on low, add the salt and baking soda. Then slowly add the flour, allowing time for each addition of flour to incorporate.

Once the flour is all incorporated, the mixture is going to start getting thick. Stop the mixer, and dump in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans.

Run the mixer for a few seconds until everything looks more evenly distributed. Then, with the mixer running, start adding the oatmeal slowly. Don't freak out! This cookie dough is thick, crumbly cookie dough. If you're really nervous, just add 2 cups of oatmeal. You can add 1 cup-3 cups, depending on how oatmeal-y you want them to be.

And there it is. Delicious cookie dough. And this dough smells good. It's that butter shortening, I'm tellin' ya! It really makes these cookies amazing!

Like I said, this is a really crumbly dough, so don't get nervous when you put it on the baking sheet and it crumbles up. Just use your fingers to press the dough together. No big deal!

Use your cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the baking sheet.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, depending on your oven. For the first batch you put in, check them at 9 or 10 minutes and gage the baking time from there. Mine took about 11 minutes. The cookies should be lightly browned and irresistible!

Well, there you have it- the most perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe! Just one the many wonderful memories I have of my Grandma. I hope I'm making her proud and I plan to share many of her amazing recipes in the future!