Traditionally, oatmeal cookies are made with the addition of raisins and not much else. I have occasionally come across recipes that will include nuts or chocolate chips in addition to the raisins, but for the most part oatmeal cookies and raisins are bosom buddies and an exclusive clique. My thinking changed drastically over the Christmas holiday when I was asked to try a chocolate chip cookie made by my Chief Culinary Consultant’s mom. As soon as I bit into it I could taste oats, and although it wasn’t a full-fledged oatmeal cookie, the flavor and texture greatly enhanced the entire cookie. I was immediately sold on trying to come up with a hybrid chocolate chip and oatmeal cookie that wasn’t merely chocolate chips added to an oatmeal cookie recipe, and  I think I achieved exactly what I was looking for with this cookie.

These cookies have a distinctly crisp texture, in contrast to what you would find in a typical chewy chocolate chip cookie, such as the Thick and Chewy cookies. The crisp exterior leads to a chewy center that houses three types of chocolate - semi-sweet, milk, and white. I think the contrasting flavors of the different chocolates give the cookie even more dimension. The oatmeal isn’t over-powering but gives enough subtle flavor and texture to really make a big difference. My mom and my Chief Culinary Consultant both said they now prefer these cookies to the Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip cookies referenced above. As for me, that’s like comparing apples and oranges as they are distinctly different cookies with different properties and I love each for its intended purpose. I mean, that’s like asking to choose which child you love more. A good parent would never choose

This recipe has been submitted into the “Your Best Cookie Recipe” contest being hosted by MixingBowl.com. Head on over to the site and check out the other entries, submit one of your own, and/or VOTE FOR ME!

Triple Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Yield: Approximately 32 cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups granulated sugar
1¼ cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1½ cups rolled oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
½ cup white chocolate chips

1. Adjust oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and paking soda. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.

4. Gradually beat in the flour mixture, mixing only until dough comes together. Do not overmix.

5. With a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the rolled oats, followed by the chocolate chips.

6. Using a large cookie scoop (by weight, the balls of dough should be about 2 oz. each), drop the cookies on the prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart (I usually fit 9 on my cookie sheets). Bake until the cookies are slightly browned and set on the outside but still soft and puffy in the middle, about 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheets.