Original Chocolate Cookie Recipe

This recipe has been refined over many years and is a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:
Oatmeal : 1 cup
Water
Butter: 1 cup (Softened)
Brown Sugar: 2 cups
Eggs: 2
Dry Vanilla Pudding mix: 1 4oz. package
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Cocoa: 1 cup
Vanilla: 1.5 tsp
Flour: 2.5 cups
Chocolate Chips: 12 oz. package

Options:
In place of 12 oz. Chocolate chips:
Chocolate chips: 18 oz. total  or
White Chocolate chips; 12 oz. + 6 oz. regular chocolate chips

Chopped Nuts: 2 cups

Directions:
1. Place Oatmeal in  small bowl and add enough water to just cover oatmeal, let sit for at least 5 min.
2. Mix butter and brown sugar until smooth. I use a power stand mixer- it makes things very easy and it's awesome.
3. Mix in eggs
4. Drain most of the water off of the oatmeal and add. Continue mixing.
5. Add pudding mix and salt. Mix in. The pudding mix is crucial.
6. Mix in cocoa and vanilla. I like Rapunzel brand cocoa from Whole Foods.
7. Mix in flour gradually- the dough gets thick, so this is where the power mixer helps.
8. Add chocolate chips, do this with a spoon or spatula. I think the Whole Foods brand chocolate chips are the best I've ever had. (Not the Vegan kind, the regular ones)
9. Options, if you want.
10. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and flatten out the surface of the dough. Place a sheet of wax paper directly on the dough to completely cover the dough.
11. Refrigerate the dough at least 8 hrs., overnight is best. This is another key to the success of this recipe.

12. The next day, form cookies 1.5 to 2.5 in. diameter, flatten to about 1/2 in. thick, and place on parchment paper on cookie sheets.
13. Convection bake at 375 deg. for 12-14 minutes or Regular bake for 16-18 minutes. You know your own oven, so you can adjust the time accordingly.

You should get 28-30 large cookies or 36-40 smaller cookies.