Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe No. 87 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Cakes and Cookies. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Flour, sifted — 2¼ pounds (2¼ No. 56 dippers)
• Baking powder — 1¼ ounces (2¾ mess kit spoons)
• Salt — ¾ ounce (1½ mess kit spoons)
• Cinnamon — ⅜ ounce (1½ mess kit spoons)
• Nutmeg — (½ mess kit spoon)
• Cloves, ground — (¼ mess kit spoon)
• Shortening — 2¼ pounds (1⅛ No. 56 dippers)
• Sugar, granulated — 2¼ pounds (1⅛ No. 56 dippers)
• Eggs — 7 eggs (⅓ No. 56 dipper)
• Oats, rolled — 1¼ pounds (1⅔ No. 56 dippers)
• Raisins, seedless — 1½ pounds (1⅛ No. 56 dippers)
• Milk, evaporated — 1—14½-ounce can
• Water (for milk) — 1¼ pints (¾ mess kit cup)

Directions

Key ingredients

Baking Soda & Baking Powder · Cinnamon · Evaporated Milk

1. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and spices together.
2. Mix shortening and sugar; stir until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs gradually, mixing well after each addition.
4. Add rolled oats and raisins; mix thoroughly.
5. Mix milk and water. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to oatmeal mixture, mixing well after each addition.
6. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking pans. Bake in hot oven (400° F.) 12 to 15 minutes.
7. Remove from pans at once.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Flour, sifted — 3 oz Baking powder — about ⅔ tsp Salt — about ⅓ tsp Cinnamon — a pinch Nutmeg — scale to taste ((½ mess kit spoon)) Cloves, ground — scale to taste ((¼ mess kit spoon)) Shortening — 3 oz Sugar, granulated — 3 oz Eggs — ½ eggs Oats, rolled — 1⅔ oz Raisins, seedless — 2 oz Milk, evaporated — ½ can (14½ oz) Water (for milk) — 3¼ tbsp

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 87, Cakes and Cookies. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.