Bonnie Doone Oaties Cookies
Popular since the 1940s, these loaded Bonnie Doone Oaties are packed with toasted oats, sweet coconut, crunchy nuts, and rich chocolate chips.
Why This 1940s Classic Is Still the Ultimate Loaded Cookie
My friend Lynette invited me over while she was making Potica the other day. While hanging out in her kitchen, she pulled out an absolute treasure: her grandma's original, hand-written recipe notebook.
Lynette was generous enough to make me a copy of that worn-out ol' notebook, highlighting a few pages I needed to prioritize. Right at the top of her "must-try" list were these Bonnie Doon Oaties-with her grandma's handwritten note in the margin: "My all-time favorite."
What?! A classic vintage cookie I've never tried before, backed by grandma's stamp of approval? You know I couldn't preheat my oven fast enough.
This old-fashioned favorite from the 1940s is the absolute definition of a loaded cookie. It takes everything you love about a simple oatmeal cookie and turns the volume up to ten with toasted oats (a brilliant technique!), sweet shredded coconut, crunchy pecans, and rich chocolate chips.
Plus, it hides a genius vintage baker's secret-a splash of white vinegar-that creates an irresistibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth center with crisp, caramelized edges.
If you're on the hunt for other vintage cookies that go beyond regular old chocolate chip cookies. Try my Bacon Grease Chocolate Chip Cookies, Honey Peanut Butter Cookies, or French Cookies.
The Ingredients (And Why They Matter)
- Butter & Shortening Combo: The ultimate fat pairing. Butter provides that rich, irresistible flavor, while shortening has a higher melting point, preventing the cookies from spreading into flat pancakes and keeping the centers plush.
- White & Brown Sugar: White sugar creates golden, caramelized crisp edges, while brown sugar packs in deep molasses moisture.
- White Vinegar: The secret baking shortcut! The acid reacts with the baking soda to kickstart the leavening process, tenderizing the gluten for a melt-in-your-mouth crumb structure.
- Toasted Old-Fashioned Oats: Toasting your oats first unlocks a deep, warm, nutty flavor that raw oats simply can't match.
- Shredded Coconut & Chopped Nuts: Coconut adds a chewy, tropical sweetness, while toasted pecans or walnuts bring an earthy, crunchy contrast.
- Chocolate Chips: Rich, melty pockets of chocolate that balance out the hearty grains and nuts.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Bonnie Doon Oaties
1. Cream the Fats and Sugars: Beat the shortening, softened butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together in a large bowl until the mixture is fully combined, smooth, and fluffy. Thorough creaming builds air pockets that give these thick cookies their ideal texture.
2. Blend the Wet Ingredients and Add the Secret Acid: Stir in the eggs, vanilla extract, and white vinegar until uniform. The vinegar activates the leavening agent without leaving behind any sour taste, guaranteeing a lighter, tender crumb.
3. Combine the Flour Base: Gently fold in the flour and baking soda just until the flour streaks disappear. Avoid over-mixing here.
4. Fold in the Flavor Loaded Mix-Ins: Dump in the toasted oats, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, and chopped pecans or walnuts. Mix by hand using a sturdy spatula until every ingredient is evenly distributed throughout the thick dough.
5. Scoop, Bake, and Rest: Use a cookie scoop to drop uniform dough balls onto a cool, un-greased cookie sheet, leaving some space for spreading. Bake at 350°F for 13 to 15 minutes until lightly browned, then let them cool right on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to set before moving them to a wire rack.
How To Toast Oats
Simply pour oats into a large, dry skillet and toast over medium-high heat, stirring/shaking constantly until the nutty aroma is noted and they turn light, golden brown. Remove from the skillet to cool.
"In a Pinch" Ingredient Swaps
- Shortening: If you don't keep shortening in your pantry, you can use all butter instead! The cookies will spread slightly thinner, but the flavor will be intensely buttery.
- Pecans or Walnuts: Chopped almonds, hazelnuts, or even toasted pumpkin seeds work great as a nut-free option.
- White Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice can step in for white vinegar without changing the bake dynamics.
Creative Variations
- White Chocolate Cranberry Twist: Swap the dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips for white chocolate chips and add ½ cup of dried cranberries in place of the coconut.
- Butterscotch Sea Salt Oaties: Replace the chocolate chips with butterscotch morsels and finish the hot cookies with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt right when they come out of the oven.
- Monster Oaties: Mix in M&M's along with the chocolate chips for a vibrant, party-ready look that kids will go crazy for.
Storage & Reheating Tips
- Keep cooled oaties in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
- Toss a piece of white bread into your airtight storage container with the cookies. The cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread, staying soft for days.
- Can You Freeze These Cookies?: Absolutely. Freeze fully baked cookies in a zip-top freezer bag with parchment paper between layers for up to 3 months. You can also freeze raw scooped dough balls and bake them straight from frozen (just add 2 extra minutes to the bake time).
Cooking for One or Two
Because this recipe makes a generous batch, feel free to scoop the extra dough into balls and flash-freeze them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, dump them into a freezer bag. Whenever a late-night craving strikes, pull out just 2 or 3 dough balls and bake them in your toaster oven for fresh-baked cookies in minutes.
Top Tip
Share something here that you think is key to making this recipe well, such as: Don't overcook the burgers! Sear the outside and cook to a minimum internal temperature, but they should still be juicy for best results.
FAQ
Toasting oats in a dry skillet or oven for 5-8 minutes brings out their natural essential oils and transforms their flavor from raw and dusty to rich and nutty. It makes a massive difference in the final taste.
Flat cookies usually happen when your dough sheet was too warm before going into the oven, or if your butter was completely melted instead of softened. Make sure your baking sheets are cool to the touch between batches.
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Bonnie Doone Oaties Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350℉
- In a large bowl, cream together shortening, butter, white & brown sugars. Mix until well combined.½ cup shortening, ½ cup butter, 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup brown sugar
- Add eggs, vanilla, and white vinegar. Stir until combined.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¾ teaspoon white vinegar
- Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- Add toasted oats, coconut, chocolate chips and nuts.2 cups old fashioned oats, 1 cup shredded coconut, 1 cup chocolate chips, ½ cup pecans or walnuts
- Using a cookie scoop, drop cookies on a cool cookie sheet. Leaving room for some spreading. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack.
