Coconut Oat Crispies

With this recipe I came up against something I expected would happen eventually, aside from all this baking being counterproductive to my post baby weight loss efforts!   One of the purposes of my baking efforts is to replicate my Gram's goodies.  I expected that the effect of elevation on baking would prevent my results from being exact recreations since my current location is just above sea level at 717 feet, whereas my hometown is at 4100 feet.   I assume that Gram's recipes had already been adapted for high elevation baking.  (Good info on high elevation baking can be found here.)  Also, I've come to suspect that Gram often added flour, and perhaps even occasionally an egg to certain recipes to make them have a "cakier" consistency that she preferred.

For me, these cookies turned out moister and chewier than those I remember from childhood.  They are however, absolutely delicious, and because they have oatmeal, I like to consider them a health food!  They are great with coffee or milk.  I used margarine rather than shortening.

COCONUT OAT CRISPIES
1 C brown sugar
1 C white sugar
1 C shortening  (see notes on Ginger Snap entry for more info about shortening)
2 C coconut
1 C oatmeal
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 C flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and set aside.  Cream sugars and shortening until light and fluffy with hand or stand mixer with paddle attachment.  Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated.   Slowly add dry ingredients until just combined.  Using 1 inch scoop, form cookies and place on parchment lined cookie sheets.  Bake for 10 - 14 minutes until light brown around edges.  Transfer to rack to cool.  Makes about 6 1/2 dozen.