This recipe makes so many chocolate chip cookies – great to give away to special friends and or to freeze for a later date. The recipe comes from my friend Sharlene who is famous for these cookies.

She has them in an overly large cookie tin with a Christmas theme on the lid and ‘the Christmas Tin’ comes out all year round bulging with cookies.  The rolled oats add to the rustic theme of the cookies but you can leave them out if you prefer— just add a another cup of flour instead .

You will need:

• 1 lb/500 gm butter (softened)
• 1 tin of condensed milk—12 oz/375 gm
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 cups plain flour – scant
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 6 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups of dark chocolate chips

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.

Cream together butter, sugar and condensed milk.

Add all other ingredients and mix well – the finished dough is quite soft but not sticky.

With floured hands, roll into balls no larger than a golf ball.

Place on oven trays or cookie sheets leaving room to spread—you will need several trays.

With a floured fork, press down on each cookie or, like Sharlene, use the top of an old cotton real to make the indentation. Please wash it first.

Bake for about 15 minutes—they will lift from the tray without breaking when done.

If you have a fan oven, you can cook 3 sheets at a time otherwise one at a time will have to do.

They should be on the pale side of golden when cooked.

Cool on a wire rack.

5 Cows Tip

I always use non stick baking paper or parchment on any cookie sheets that are not non stick. Makes life so much easier.

When I talk about lifting from the tray to test if the cookies are baked, this means just lifting one corner of the cookie slightly off the tray while still in the oven. If it bends close to breaking it is not done.