Recipe: Hillary Rodham Clinton's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

In 1992, Hillary Rodham Clinton caused quite the stir by making the following statement: "I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do was to fulfill my profession, which I entered before my husband was in public life." After this incident, Family Circle magazine leapt into the cookie-baking fray by sponsoring a recipe contest between the spouses of the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates each election year. Hillary rose to the challenge that she'd instigated by offering a recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. These cookies, I have to say, are really very good — they deserved their win!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheets.

2. Combine flour, salt and baking soda on waxed paper.

3. Beat together shortening, sugars and vanilla in large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, beating until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in flour mixture and rolled oats. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Drop batter by well-rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden.

This recipe was adapted by Mary Bilyeu and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Oct. 26, 2011.