No-Bake Oatmeal Fudge Cookies

There a few "Southern" foods I love but these cookies are at the top of the list. I was first introduced to these about 9 years ago, sometime after my (now) fiance and I began dating. His Dad is a master at these and they quickly became a favorite of mine.

It wasn't until recently that I considered making them myself. Now that we live so far from home, I could either wait until holidays or try my own hand. Craving them one day, I decided on the latter. I Googled for a recipe and came across several. The one I chose was from the Southern Food section on About.com. It had perfect reviews so I assumed it couldn't go wrong.


Well, it did. The cookies tasted great but not one of them set! I followed the instructions to a T so I didn't understand. Perhaps it was the pot I was using but clearly, boiling the ingredients for only a minute just wasn't enough. So, when Easter rolled around and there was no chocolate in the house, I decided to give it another go. This time, I pulled out my candy thermometer. I proceeded as before but, I didn't time the boil. Instead, I waited until the thermometer read 230F. This allowed for a long enough boil but kept it in the soft ball/fudge range. Luckily, this little trick worked! The cookies all made it onto the wax paper but then set rather quickly. They tasted wonderful! Just like I remembered!

They're so quick and easy - these would be great to prepare for last-minute company. And, since they're no-bake, they're perfect for a summer sweet tooth. I warn you though, they can be a bit addictive!

Happy No-Baking! x

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons cocoa
4 ounces butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

Preparation:

Combine sugar, milk, cocoa, and butter in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil in "soft ball" range (116F -240F) for at least 1 minute. Temperature should reach about 230F. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and chopped nuts. Add oatmeal and stir to blend thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Makes about 4 dozen no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies.

Adapted from About.com