White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

A rich tasting cookie, lightly crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside.

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

2 cups (12 oz.) white chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Pre-heat oven to 350°F (175 °F C). Preheat oven 10 to 15 minutes before baking the first sheet or pan of cookies. Check oven temperature with an oven thermometer.

NOTE: For more even baking, position oven rack(s) at the center of the oven and bake one sheet of cookies at a time . If you prefer to bake two sheets, space racks so oven is divided into thirds and switch cookie sheets top to bottom and back to front halfway through baking

Lightly grease or parchment line cookies sheets.

In a mixer bowl, cream together the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape bowl.

Gradually add brown sugar and white sugar 2 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, beat just until yellow disappears before adding the next egg. Scrape bowl.

Sir in the vanilla.

In a medium bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, whisking the ingredients together.

Gradually add flour ingredients to butter mixture.

In a small bowl combine oats, morsels, and nuts. Then add to dough, stirring until just combined. Over stirring results in tough cookies.

Note:If cookies dough it too soft, chilling the dough for 30 minutes. Doing so, will help you get clean, sharp edges. Chilled dough also holds its shape better in the oven.

Drop by tablespoons onto cookie sheets, allow appropriate space between cookies, about 1-1/2 inches.

NOTE: Scooping with larger utensils will require increased baking time. When testing for doneness, your best guides for cookies are time and appearance. Always use a timer. Most recipes include a range in baking time; always check after the minimum time stated in the recipe.

Bake in oven at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes.

NOTE: When baking two baking sheets at once, arrange the racks on the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Halfway through cooking, rotate the trays and swap to ensure even cooking. This move is especially useful when baking multiple batches of cookies.

Remove from baking sheets from oven. Cool on cookie sheets for 3 minutes.

Remove from cookie sheet(s) and put on wire rack to cool completely. Store crisp cookies in a container with a loose-fitting cover; soft cookies in a container with a tight-fitting cover. Makes about 5 dozen cookies