Raisin-Date-Oatmeal Cookies

This is something I came up with as a teenager (a LONG time ago lol). None of the oatmeal cookie recipes I tried gave me the result i wanted so I played around with them and came up with this one. The yield depends on how large you make the cookies, I used to make big ones so they would be chewier in the middle. Using shortening also makes them chewier. Sometimes I use half shortening and half butter. I also used to double this recipe because my family of four would GOBBLE them up. A double recipe might last for a few days at least lol.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 2 1/2-3 dozen

Ingredients

• 1  cup butter, or
• 1  cup shortening
• 1  cup sugar
• 1  cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1⁄2 cup molasses
• 2  eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1  cup flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ginger
• 3  cups rolled oats
• 1⁄3 cup raisins
• 1⁄3 cup dates, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Beat butter, sugars, eggs, molasses and vanilla together until well combined.
3. Sift together dry ingredients.
4. Add to butter mixture and combine thoroughly.
5. Stir in oats, raisins and dates.
6. Drop onto well greased cookie sheets.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until edges are browned and centers are somewhat firm.
8. Cool a few minutes on the cookie sheet before removing. These firm up a bit as they cool. This can be a bit tricky. Remove them too soon and they mush together, too late and the edges may stick to the cookie sheet.