Grandpa's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Anybody can make chocolate chip cookies, but these have a couple of Grandpa’s secrets to make them light and chewy.  

Grandpa’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Makes about four dozen)

1 cup softened butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup oat flour (see note)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons hot water

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (preferably Ghirardelli or another premium brand)

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl of a mixer, cream together butter and both sugars until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water and add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, oat flour, chocolate chips, and nuts (if using). Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased pans. Bake for about 10 minutes or until edges are just brown.

 Note: For oat flour, grind a scant 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant and not steel cut) in a food processor for about five seconds to yield 1 cup oat flour.