No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

DIRECTIONS

• Add the first six ingredients into a 4-quart sauce pan.
• Bring to a rolling boil and hold for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat.
• Add peanut butter into the hot mixture and stir until melted.
• Add in vanilla. (almond extract is good also, but I only use 1/2 teaspoon almond extract with 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract).
• Mix in the dry oats until they are completely coated.
• Drop cookies by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper.
• Let cool until set.
• *Please remember that even if you do follow the recipe exactly, it doesn't always turn out just right. I've had these not set up for me or be hard and dry. But most of the time, the recipe is just right. I adjusted the sugar in the recipe by substituting 1/2 cup of white sugar for 1/2 cup brown sugar, this makes them more moist. I have also found that it makes a difference if you use quick cooking oats or old fashioned. In my experience it takes more old fashioned oats than quick cooking and I like the texture of the quick cooking better. When you make it a few hundred times like I have you learn a couple of things:) Also, Chunky peanut butter tends to make them more dry and crumbly.