I’m a planner and, to some degree, a prepper. Not like the weird whack-a-dos who live out in the middle of nowhere and plan feverishly for Doomsday. I’m the “stock-pile my pantry with paper products and canned foods from Costco” type. I can’t help it. I was hard-wired and programmed to always be ready for the next natural disaster to occur. (Thanks Mom!) When you really do live in the middle of nowhere, and the nearest major grocery store or mega-mart is 50+ miles away, you write a shopping list, spend a day “going to town,” and play Tetris cramming your shopping loot in the back of your car before trekking home. This was the once-a-month scenario for me growing up in remote places like Death Valley. Maybe I really am one of those whack-a-do nut jobs?!
I’ll just admit it. No, I’m not a nut job. (At least no one has told me that…lately!) I strive to make sure our house guests are treated to some sort of flour, sugar and vanilla based delectable. It really bugs me when the cookie jar is empty when company is coming over. (Darn kids! Darn planner prepper!) So, without much ado…I present to you, Company’s Comin’ Cookies.
These cookies are called “Company’s Comin'” for a variety of reasons. This chewy buttery cookie appeals to almost everyone…chocolate chips, coconut, oatmeal, nuts. You can never be too sure about a palate’s preference! To silence my inner planner, this cookie is convenient. The dough freezes well and can be popped into the oven anytime your sweet tooth or a unexpected guest comes a-callin’. (Baked cookies also hibernate great in the freezer.) My inner prepper also loves how Company’s Comin’ Cookies are sturdy enough for travel. If you’re lucky enough to be the company going to visit, these make a delightful en route snack or ship beautifully to where you’ve been. See? Winner! Winner!
My dear Great Aunt Betty passed away this week at the age of 92, so these cookies also remind me of her prepared baking prowess and visits to her Montana home. Betty was our family’s quintessential homemaker and hostess. Her meticulously immaculate home welcomed folks swinging in for candid conversation over coffee and a plate of her baked delights. What Aunt Betty wouldn’t spontaneously discuss was the amount of time she spent on these seemingly effortless edibles. She’d spend hours whipping up dozens of baked treats and candies in her kitchen, carefully arranging them on a serving plate, and finally storing them in cold storage until needed. My younger, pudgier tomboy-self was both giddy and jittery going to visit. Cookies, but don’t drop crumbs! I have no doubt Aunt Betty would have approved of Company’s Comin’ Cookies. I hope you do too!
PrintCompany’s Comin’ Cookies
Both tasty and travel worthy, these chewy butter-based cookies appeal to almost every guest’s palate…chocolate chips, coconut, nuts, oatmeal and spice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes + 1 hour chilling
- Cook Time: 15-17 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour +30 minutes
- Yield: 24 large cookies 1x
Ingredients
1/2 cup oatmeal (old-fashioned or rolled)
1–1/2 cups pecans*
2–1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1–1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt (kosher or table)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon*
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1–1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips*
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
Instructions
Line two cookie/baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats. (Parchment makes for EASY clean-up!).
In a food processor or blender, grind oatmeal until almost fine. Add pecans to the oats. Pulse until pecans are pea-sized pieces. In a medium bowl, combine oatmeal mixture with flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla and lemon juice together until light and fluffy. (A hand mixer get the job done, but stand-mixers are helpful.) Add the large eggs, one a time, blending well after each addition.
Add the dry ingredients to the egg/butter mixture. Mix until almost combined. Stir in chocolate chips and coconut until evenly blended.
Using an ice-cream scoop (2″ or #20) or a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop the dough onto prepared cookie sheets, spacing the dough 2 inches apart. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for a minimum of an hour or up to overnight.** (Once the cookies harden, you can place them into a storage container or bag and freeze.)
Just before you want to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. (It’s okay if the dough sits on the counter for a few minutes while this is happening.) Bake cookies for 15-17 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Move hot trays to a cooling rack. Cool completely before storing in an air-tight container.
Notes
Easy Substitutions!
*Swap the pecans with another nut type (i.e. walnuts, macadamia, peanut, cashew, etc.) depending on allergies and tastes.
*Semi-sweet chocolate chips work amazing here, but experiment with dark, milk, or white chocolate chips. Funky chip flavors like salted caramel, cinnamon or butterscotch would be tasty too!
*Not a cinnamon fan? Try warm nutmeg or peppery cardamon!
**Patience! Chilling the dough is a must. If you skip this step, the dough will spread too quickly in the oven, resulting in a very flat cookie.
IMNPB
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