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This recipe for Rookie Cookies is from my mother’s old recipe box – and like all of the older recipes we’ve been recreating from her collection – we try to research the origin or background of these old classic recipes whenever we can!
So what a surprise…after doing a Google search on “Rookie Cookies,” we discovered that Rookie Cookies are today best known as a type of cookie that is baked with pot inside! (WHAT!?)
I assure you – our recipe is not a copycat version of THOSE cookies… 🙂
There is also a bakery in Indiana named Rookie’s Cookies – so then we thought perhaps these were a copycat recipe from that bakery. But no – they are best known for their sugar cookies and not the oatmeal based cookie recipe we’re sharing today. So that wasn’t it either…
Finally, we ran across this cookie recipe which was similar to my mother’s, and that recipe referred to it as a World War II cookie using available ingredients. (This definitely sounded more in line with the type of recipe my mother would have saved!)
These Rookie Cookies can best be described as a thick and chewy oatmeal raisin cookie with coconut and chopped walnuts added. They are sweet but not too sweet and very addictive – but only because they are super delicious and not because of any other ‘secret’ ingredient baked inside!
If my mom were still alive today – I know she would have gotten a good laugh about the research we did for this post! And also I know she’d be very happy that we enjoyed these Rookie Cookies as much as she did!
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Rookie Cookies
Note: The original recipe states that if you use “Quick Oats”, the cookies will be less chewy. We did not try that and used regular rolled oats.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup (two sticks) melted unsalted butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 4 cups rolled oats (not instant or pre-cooked)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup of water
- Non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in the top third of your oven.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment (or by hand), beat eggs until light in color, about 2 minutes.
- Add brown sugar and butter and beat until smooth.
- Remove from mixer and add all other ingredients by hand with a heavy wooden spoon.
- Line five cookie sheets with parchment paper and spray with kitchen pan spray.
- Using a #40 scoop (one ounce of dough) scoop out 4 ½ dozen balls placing one dozen per pan and a half dozen on the last pan. Moisten fingers and flatten each ball to about half an inch thick and bake for 15-18 minutes per pan, rotating pan half way through if your oven does not bake evenly. Cookies will be slightly browned and no longer raw in center. I baked one pan at a time but if you do more than one at a time, you may need to increase baking time and rotate pans.
- Cool on racks and store covered at room temperature.
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I love recipes with a story behind them! These look amazing!
Ha ha ha ha, I bet a few people will be disappointed when your recipe comes up in a search and there’s no green stuff to be found. I, however, would be extremely happy to make them exactly as written – they sound delicious!
LOL – I was thinking the same thing Heather…this should help make for some very diverse Google search results!!
Very very very similar to a cookie I make. My cookie does not have a title. I should adapt mine to match so I can steal the title, which I love. I can verify that this is a very satisfying cookie. It is thick and chew as well as delicious.
Thanks Carol! You can totally use the title for your cookies! 🙂
Eeek! Cracking up at your discovery on the modern rookie cookie. My grandma called this recipe “hermit cookies” but I’m really not sure why. So much goodness packed into a little cookie.
Interesting Kirsten! We have a “Hermits” recipe on our site but it’s a molasses cookie…I love all sorts of old recipes and the family recipes and memories behind them!
I love that you tracked down the history of this recipe. funny what you find.
That’s a whole lot of goodness going on in these cookies Martha! They look delicious – what a great find!
Thanks Trish!
haha these are the best recipes aren’t they! I love recipes that are handed down and I love the research that you’re doing on each one. OMG pot cookies haha, love your version though 😉
Thanks Angie! 😉
I am yet to perfect an oatmeal cookie so I feel like you posting this rookie cookie is just for me. 🙂 It looks delicious!
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
That is so funny about the pot! Who knows, maybe your mom made them that way!!! Well, I’m glad you finally found something similar to what you remember because these look absolutely delicious!
Thanks Christine! My mom was so straight-laced but she had a great sense of humor – she would have found this to be so funny!
Hahaha! I love the backround of these cookies! They look super yummy!
Thanks Stephanie!