For me, the best part about getting married was the incredible sense of warmth and connection I felt throughout the process – not only with my (now) husband, but with our larger community…especially the women. A few weeks before the wedding, my (now) mother and sister-in-law threw me an amazing bridal shower that joined their family and friends with my family and friends. They invited all of the women who attended to contribute a special recipe, which my mother and sister-in-law bound in a small book. It’s pretty incredible.
One of the recipes in that book came from my mother-in-law’s close friend Beth, who makes unbelievable cookies. You could call them ridiculously good. I’m certainly no baker, having no skill with exact measurements. But if I can do it, anyone can!
Beth’s Ridiculously Good Chewy Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
- 1 package Duncan Hines Chewy Brownie Mix
- 1 cup quick oats
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- Optional: crushed walnut bits
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine brownie mix, oatmeal, oil, eggs and water. Stir until combined (dough will be a bit stiff). Stir in chocolate chips.
- Heap spoonfuls of dough onto ungreased cookie sheets (I found this made about three trays of about 12 cookies; the last tray I mixed in some walnuts to jazz it up.)
- Bake between 10-12 minutes or just until barely set in the middle.
- Let cookies cool for a minute or two…and enjoy!

The Verdict:
These are so rich, so chocolate-y, so delicious. I especially loved the ones with walnuts – they temper a bit of the sweetness while adding a somewhat salty nutty flavor. YUM.