Oatmeal cookies: 3 ways

Oatmeal has become another staple in my cooking and baking, adds fiber and a heartiness that plain flour just doesn't have. Here are 3 ways I've made oatmeal cookies come to life:

Basic Oatmeal cookie recipe:
1 cup butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped nuts

Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and beat again. Stir flour, soda, salt and cinnamon in separate bowl. Add milk to butter bowl, stir in dry ingredients with oats and raisins and/or nuts. Drop by teaspoonful onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 mins at 350. Cool on wire rack.

#1 Cranberry oatmeal cookies:
Substitute 1 cup cranberries instead of raisins. Add a tsp of orange zest for a subtle tang.

#2 Chocolate oatmeal cookies:
Add 1/3-1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa to dry ingredients when mixing. Follow the rest of the recipe except take out raisins.

#3 Pumpkin oatmeal cookies:
Add 1/2-1 cup pumpkin puree. Adjust by adding 1/3 cup more oats and 1/3 cup more flour. Also add in 1+ tsp of pumpkin pie spice. Can keep raisins and nuts in, adds great depth and flavor! These may need to cook a bit longer.

Oh! I've thought of #4 I haven't tried yet, which duh! Add the cranberries to the chocolate oatmeal cookies! That's got to be good!

Cranberry Chocolate Chip cookies

Was there a recipe for these? Not that I ever saw. I am just obsessed and in love with cranberries, especially the dried ones. We eat them in and on everything. Well, Kian and I anyway. I followed my Hershey's Chocolate cookbook (reprinted from 1934) chocolate chip recipe and added my cranberries.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 granulated sugar

2 Egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cup Hershey's Chocolate Chips
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Cream butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips and cranberries. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown.

Hints: take them out before 10 minutes. I find that 7 -8 is perfect. I like them done on the bottom but nice and soft and gooey chewy. They are easy, yet delicious and just kick it up a notch in the classy department.