Chocolate Chip Cookies

Many of you already know that I am a total cookie monster.  My Mom's recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies is my favourite of the Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes, followed by our friend Wayne's recipe.  But I'm always willing to try new variations on the classic Chocolate Chip Cookie.  I was flipping through one of my favourite cookbooks series, Whitewater Cooks, and found a recipe that I needed to try.  I also thought it was interesting as it is egg-free, and we have a brother who is allergic to eggs.  Here it is:

Gail's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup shortening (Note: I used butter)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups large flake oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts or sunflower seeds (Note: I used sunflower seeds)

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter (I softened first), brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla, until light and fluffy.  Dissolve the baking soda in boiling water.  Add the water mixture to the batter and mix well.  Add in the flour and salt, mix well.  Fold in the oats, chocolate chips, and nuts/sunflower seeds.  Drop batter by spoonfuls onto cookie sheets (I did both greased and un-greased cookie sheets and the results were the same), press with fork until the dough ball in cookie shaped.

Bake for 9-11 minutes (as usual, my oven was on the 9 minute side).  Allow to cool for 5-7 minutes before removing from pan to cooling racks.

VERDICT
These are a good cookie.  I am usually a "fresh out of the oven" cookie girl, but these I found needed to cool to be that much better.  I found them crumbly when still warm but set once cooled.  I especially love the sunflower seeds in them, nice extra crunch.  The kids both loved the cookies too :-)