Tastebuds: Oatmeal & Chocolate chip cookies

It's 3am and I've just finished baking my batch of Valentine's Day cookies for my flatmates and friends.

By popular demand in flat 61 of University Hall in Bristol, I have decided to try my hand at making my first ever batch of oatmeal cookies. I've always adored oatmeal cookies but have never gotten round to actually making them.

So I sourced out some recipes online and settled on one that I liked.

Knowing me, and my inability to follow a recipe, I altered it.

So instead of pecans, I used macadamia nuts; instead of plain flour + baking powder + baking soda, I used self-raising flour; and I reduced the amount of sugar and threw in ground cinnamon in place of maple syrup.

As I couldn't find rolled (old fashioned) oats in Sainsbury's (I was really quite shocked), I decided to use Quaker's microwaveable oats in golden syrup flavour.

Ok, these changes were spurred by the very fact that I am but a poor student and hence the need to cut cost so as to have some cookie-fun!

Anyway, this is how it began...

Start off with mixing the unsalted butter (room temperature) with granulated and brown sugar.

Note: I do not have any baking equipment, save for a wooden spoon and a whisk. *laughs* So yes, I did bake everything the traditional way -- i.e. by HAND.

I loved this part - watching it fold into itself with small lemon yellow clumps of butter peeking through the ice swirls of white and brown sugar.... Mmm.

When mixture is smooth and well-mixed, add one large egg! P.S. creaming it took me about 5-10mins by hand. for those of you with electric mixers, this process should take no longer than 30secs.

Beat egg in until mixture if light and fluffy (note: if using electric mixers, this should resemble a smooth and creamy paste). While still mixing, add vanilla essence. Continue mixing until combined then add the flour-oat mixture, slowly, while still mixing.

Alright! We're half-way there! Now comes my favourite part!

Add the chocolate chips!

Ooooo! What a load of chocolate chips - I was lazy to measure it by cups so I just dumped the whole bag in.... After all, you can NEVER have too much chocolate... Oh no, you can't.

Stir them in!

Like so.

Dump walnut-sized dough onto non-stick baking tray (or tray lined with cookie sheet)

Throw into oven for about 7-9mins; rotating the tray once to ensure even baking.

Then VOILA!!

Cookies are done when lightly browned.

Wait for the cookies to cool on tray, then remove from tray.

Aren't they gorgeous!?

I must say, considering I haven't baked in eons, this batch was pretty darn good!

I'm actually quite proud of myself! =D

Hahah! Anyway, what I found really amusing was how it was a recipe for 36 cookies and yet I managed to bake close to 60+?! Hahha! And this is notwithstanding the fact that Kyle ate some of the cookie dough while we were chatting.

Anyway, there were too many cookies and so I packed them into jars and cute boxes....