COOK'S CORNER OATMEAL COOKIE RECIPES HAVE THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

Paula Marchesi of Lenhartsville, Pa., took home the $5,000 grand prize in the Search for the Ultimate Oatmeal Cookie recipe contest sponsored by Quaker Oats and Blue Bonnet with her recipe for Chocolate Coffee Toffee Oatmeal Cookies. Marchesi loves to bake and credits her win to her secret ingredient - crumbled ice-cream cones - in the easy cookies.

Three $1,000 first prizes were also awarded. Nutty Chocolate Caramel Cream Cheese Oatmeal Bars, created by Edwina Gadsby of Great Falls, Mont., captured the $1,000 first prize in the Special Occasion Cookies & Bars category, while Stacy Brinkerhoff of Lake Alfred, Fla., won $1,000 in the Lower-Calorie Cookies & Bars category with Brink's Nutty Oatmeal Chocolate Chippers. Patricia Garvin of Monument, Colo., took home the top prize in the Easy, Everyday Cookies & Bars with her Chocolate-Hazelnut Oatmeal Refrigerator Cookies.

Give the two winning recipes that follow a try. For additional winning recipes, go online to wwww.quakeroatmeal.com.

CHOCOLATE COFFEE TOFFEE OATMEAL COOKIES

(Paula Marchesi, Lenhartsville, Pa., grand prize winner, Search for the Ultimate Oatmeal Cookie recipe contest)

1/2 to 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder

1/4 cup boiling water

1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) 65 percent vegetable oil spread, softened

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups quick OR old fashioned uncooked oats (if using old fashioned oats, add 2 tablespoons flour)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1 (8-ounce) package milk chocolate toffee bits (about 1 1/3 cups)

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup coarsely crumbled sugar cones (about 5 cones)

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick foil, or use nonstick cookie sheets.

Dissolve coffee in boiling water; cool to room temperature. In large bowl, beat brown sugar and vegetable oil spread on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add egg; beat well. Beat in coffee and vanilla. Combine oats, flour, salt and baking soda; mix well. Gradually add to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in toffee bits, chocolate chips and sugar cones.

Drop dough by heaping measuring tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 12 to 14 minutes, just until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely. Store loosely covered. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

NUTTY CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CREAM CHEESE OATMEAL BARS

(Edwina Gadsby, Great Falls, Mont., first prize, special occasion cookies & bars category)

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups quick OR old fashioned uncooked oats

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup (6 ounces) toffee OR English toffee bits

1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

1 cup (2 sticks) 65 percent vegetable oil spread, melted

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup butterscotch caramel OR caramel topping

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Spray a 13x9-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, 1/2 cup toffee bits and walnuts; mix well with fork. Add melted vegetable oil spread; mix until crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups oat mixture for topping; set aside. Press remaining oat mixture firmly onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 13 to 14 minutes, until deep golden brown; cool 10 minutes on wire rack.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and vanilla with electric mixer until smooth; pour over crust, spreading to edges. Crumble reserved oat mixture over cream cheese layer. Drizzle with caramel topping and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup toffee bits.

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 32 to 38 minutes, until topping is light golden brown and filling is set. Cool to room temperature in pan on wire rack.

Melt chocolate chips according to package directions. Transfer to small resealable plastic food bag; seal. Cut tip off one corner of bag. Squeeze chocolate decoratively over cooled cookies in pan. Chill until firm. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered in refrigerator. Makes 4 dozen.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) CHOCOLATE COFFEE TOFFEE OATMEAL COOKIES

Paula Marchesi, Lenhartsville, Pa., grand prize winner, Search for the Ultimate Oatmeal Cookie recipe contest

(2) NUTTY CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CREAM CHEESE OATMEAL BARS

Edwina Gadsby, Great Falls, Mont., first prize, special occasion cookies & bars category