Caramel Oatmeal Cookies

I love plain oatmeal cookies (without the raisins, thank you very much).  But adding a touch of caramel to the mix makes them even more scrumptious!  The thing that I absolutely adore about these cookies is that the caramel adds another dimension and texture to the cookie while not completely overpowering.

I used the tried-and-true Quaker Oatmeal Cookie recipe (minus the raisins, plus the caramel pieces).

1.  Cream 1 stick and 6 tablespoons of butter along with 3/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.  Add 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

2.  Add 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 3 cups of oatmeal.  Mix well.

Next, you’re going to need these (or you can use the full size caramels that you have to unwrap).

3.  Use your cookie scoop (best-tool-ever, by the way) to scoop up some dough.  Then insert 5-7 caramel bits by pushing them into the center of the cookie scoop.

…then pat the dough on top to encapsulate the caramel.

4.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees (or until the tops of the cookies are golden brown).

Yum!