Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

Irene has terrific oatmeal cookies at her friend Caitlyn's.  She hasn't managed to bring me the recipe yet, so I've tweaked my own, and the cookies turned out great anyway.

In the Chocolate Chunk Cookie recipe is a note and link on creaming the butter and sugar, fyi.

2 sticks butter, room temperature - not too warm, or the cookies spread out too much
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup all-purpose or cake flour
1 Tbl baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups oatmeal
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup toffee chips

I read up on making cookies, and found a tip for using baking powder instead of baking soda for softer, puffier cookies.  So if you prefer crunchy oatmeal cookies, switch back to 1 tsp baking soda.  Apparently the baking powder is less potent, so you use more of it - three times as much.  I also read not to use butter that was too soft, and that cake flour works better than all purpose.  I've also used bread flour with good results.  But I usually use all purpose, since I figure the oatmeal is going to disguise the flour's consistency anyway.  Instead of butterscotch chips or toffee chips, you could use dried blueberries or cranberries or craisins or raisins, chocolate chips (I prefer mini chips here), white chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips, and walnuts or pecans, chopped.  Or you could split your dough in half and make two different kinds of cookies at once.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat together butter and sugars until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Add combined flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; mix well.
Stir in oats and chips/fruit/nuts; mix well.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet or into mini muffin pan.
Bake 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.
Makes about 3 dozen.
Or bake in 13x9 pan for 30-35 minutes and cut into bar cookies.
For high altitude, increase flour to 1 3/4 cups. (that's for you, Stephanie, but I bet you're already a pro at that anyway).

The dough can be kept in the fridge for 2 or 3 days so you can cook just a few at a time if you prefer.  If you plan to eat raw dough, use egg beaters instead of fresh eggs.  But this dough isn't as good as cookie dough anyway.  Also, you can use steel cut, or Scottish oatmeal, and the cookies will have a smoother texture.
Today is the start of deer season, and we're really looking forward to fresh venison.  Mom and Dad are coming to visit on the day after Thanksgiving so Dad can go hunting with Bart.  Someday I'll get my license and a gun and join them.  I sight with my right eye, so can I use a right handed gun?  Allen has a left handed one, but the stock is too long for my arms.  Anyway.  It's really just the meat I want, not the hunt in itself.  So as long as Dad and Bart are willing to go out and get it for me, I'll stay home.
Banana Bread coming soon.
Love,
  Kathleen