New Recipe: Cinnamon M&M Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This may come as a bit of a shock but...I love to bake. In case you couldn't tell. I don't actually eat much of what I bake, I tend to judge my efforts based on the reaction of others. But when I decide to bake cookies I like to taste those. And the way I usually feel about them is "eh". I just don't think I'm very good at cookies. I really need to learn to not over-bake them but even when I says "I will not over-bake this batch!" I take them out of the oven when the timer goes off, take one look at them and say "They need 2 more minutes." And so they become just a hair too crispy (although very few people complain about being a baked good guinea pig). So I've set out on a mission to become a better cookie baker.

This recipe comes by way of the blog Picky Palate that I've been following for a while now. I always want to try so many of her recipes and I just never seem to make time. But this one stuck out so I decided to try it.

Cinnamon M&M Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks softened unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 10 ounce bag chocolate chips
• 1 9.90 ounce bag Cinnamon M&M's

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (or a silpat liner).
2. In a stand or electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla mixing until well combined.
3. Place flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl, mix to combine then add slowly to mixing bowl, mixing on low speed. Add cinnamon, rolled oats and chocolate chips. Mix until just combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Press cookie down about 1/2 inch to flaten slightly. Press 5 Cinnamon M&M's onto each cookie. Bake for 9-12 minutes, until baked to your liking. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.                                            Makes 3 dozen cookies

Recipe Source: Picky Palate

Notes/Suggestions:

• Once again, I over-baked them. The first batch, anyway. If I make them again I'd probably go with 9 minutes in the oven and go from there.
• If you can't find Cinnamon M&M's you could use regular ones. I couldn't tell a big cinnamon flavor from the M&Ms and I might even skip them altogether if I decide to make these cookies again.
• One 9.90 ounce bag of Cinnamon M&M's wasn't enough and I ran out. It was fine, though, because the cookies were fine without them.
• Everyone at work who tried the cookies said they were good but Husband says they weren't the best recipe I've tried. He's not a big cinnamon fan anyway but I love cinnamon and I agree with him they weren't spectacular. But they were good.

If you try out the recipe I hope you enjoy them! If there is anything you do differently and you love the outcome, I'd love to hear about what you did.