Recipe: My Mom's Oatmeal Gumdrop Cookies

Makes approximately 6 dozen cookies

- 2/3 cup butter, softened
- 1/3 cup shortening
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ cups flour
2 cups oatmeal (rolled oats)
- 1 pound spiced gumdrops, cut into approximately ¼-inch pieces (I had trouble finding a 16-ounce bag, so if you can find only a 13-ounce bag, that is OK.)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup raisins

1. In a mixer, cream together butter, shortening and sugars until fluffy. Then add eggs, vanilla and buttermilk; mix until smooth. Sift together dry ingredients and blend in. Mix in oatmeal, gumdrops, walnuts and raisins. Chill, covered, 2 hours.

2. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake about 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a rack.

Chef's note: My mom has made these cookies ever since I can remember. I used to have the job of cutting up the gumdrops. To make this task a bit easier, try snipping them into pieces with clean, wet scissors.

© 2003 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®