OATMEAL BUTTER BRITTLE COOKIES

2 cups oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, chilled and cut into pieces
1 cup powdered sugar
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped dry roasted or lightly salted peanuts
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with aluminum foil.

Combine oats, flour and baking powder. Add butter; beat on low to medium speed of electric mixer until crumbly. Add powdered sugar, brown sugar, water and vanilla. Beat on low speed until dough starts to form. By hand, stir in peanuts.

Divide dough in half. Place half on one cookie sheet; flatten with lightly floured hands into 13-by-9-inch rectangle. Repeat using remaining dough and second cookie sheet.

Bake 22-25 minutes or until golden brown, rotating cookie sheets after 12 minutes. Remove cookie sheets to wire racks.

Sprinkle 1 cup chocolate pieces evenly over each large cookie. Let stand 2-3 minutes. With spatula or knife, spread softened chocolate evenly over cookies. Cool completely. (Chill 15 minutes to set chocolate, if necessary.)

Remove large cookies from cookie sheets and peel off foil. Break each into 24 pieces. Store tightly covered.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies
Source: Quaker Oats Favorite Recipe Collection