Mema’s Crispy Oatmeal Cookies – from Mrs. Mary Eugenia Taylor

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Today, Mary Cobb shares with us her Mema’s special recipe for crispy oatmeal cookies and along with it a story that is sure to touch your heart. I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I did and want to try these cookies soon! Thank you so much for sharing with us, Mary!
Gratefully, Christy

My name is Mary Helen Cobb. I am named after my grandmother, Mary Eugenia Taylor.

Mrs. Mary Eugenia Taylor "Mema"

Cooking and eating have always been a big part of family gatherings. With roots from Italy and Germany, just to name a few, that is no surprise. That being said, I never really learned to cook any of the things I loved to eat. Most of the time the kitchen was full of relatives trying to sneak a bite or telling some story.

I was more interested in what was going on around me and not what was cooking on the stove. I guess I never really thought that those times would ever come to an end or that no one else knew the recipes. Every one of them was tucked away in Mema’s head and none of them were written down.

A few years ago, my Mema suffered a massive stroke that left her unable to walk or talk. She could not look after herself and had to be put in assisted living. We thought she would never talk again. Slowly, she has regained the ability to express herself, but much of what she knew has disappeared from her memory.

After she had regained some of her strength, she asked me to write down the recipes that she could remember. One of those recipes is for her favorite cookie. It is a very thin crispy oatmeal cookie. It tastes great by itself or with a little peanut butter and a glass of milk. She trusted me too spread the recipes to the family so that they wouldn’t be lost. I am taking that a step further and sending it to all of you. It is a staple at my family Christmas gathering. It packs well and one batch seems to go on forever. I give them as goodie bags to teachers and friends. I hope that you enjoy these cookies as much as my grandmother does.

Mema’s Crispy Oatmeal Cookies – from Mrs. Mary Eugenia Taylor

It is a very thin crispy oatmeal cookie. It tastes great by itself or with a little peanut butter and a glass of milk.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: oatmeal
Servings: 4
Calories: 129kcal

Ingredients

  • MeMa's Crispy Oat Cookies
  • 1 cup oleo Another name for margarine
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 cups self rising flour
  • 1 cup crushed cornflakes
  • 1 cup oats
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup crushed pecans

Instructions

  • Cream oleo. Gradually add both sugars while beating at medium speed. Add egg, then oil, then vanilla. Mix well. Slowly add flour, oats, and cornflakes. Mix well. Add pecans and mix with spoon (batter probably too think at this point for mixer). Shape into balls and flatten with fork on ungreased baking sheet.
  • Bake @350 for 15 minutes

Nutrition

Calories: 129kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

Alright so today I’m quoting myself but since it is a quote from the book, I figure that kinda makes it okay ~winks~.

Either way, it stands true and bears repeating.

“Never forget your root system;

It’s what keeps you growing straight.”

~Christy Jordan, Southern Plate Classic Comfort Food That Makes Everyone Feel Like Family

Occasionally, I’ll send out a call for submissions to be included in the Guest Kitchens section of Southern Plate. I received an amazing amount of submissions last time I sent it and hope to share them all with you over time. If you’d like to receive the information on how to submit your heritage recipes to be included, subscribe by email to receive the next call. Thank you!

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19 Comments

  1. Cant wait to try these. I lost both my grandmothers at an early age and I really dont remember too much about what they cooked. Although my grandmother on my moms side died years later she had alzheimers so her memory just wasnt there anymore. I have recently asked my parents what were some of the dishes they used to make so I could maybe try to replicate them. I wish that my mom or others had gotten those recipes or wrote them down so we could have passed them down through the family. Like mom says you dont think about it at the time. Im trying to get together recipes of my family so we can pass those down to our children. I probably would not have thought about doing any of that if it wasnt for you Christy, you are such an inspiration. Thanks Mary for sharing your wonderful recipe and such a great story about your grandma.

  2. Thank you so much for your generosity in sharing this recipe. I made it immediately and there seems to be a problem here–can’t keep my hands out of the cookie tin they are so good.

  3. Thank you Mema Mary!! And thank you Mary Cobb for taking the time to pass on this wonderful recipe and MeMa’s memory. I have a sick friend that I made soup for today and decided to try these cookies to take also. Oh My Gosh! these are the best cookies I have ever put in my mouth. I thought my mother-in-law’s sugar cookies were the best ever. MeMa just pushed those to second place. Awesome!

  4. I too had a grandma that cooked from memory. I was fortunate enough to have her to my home for dinner on enough occasions to have her show me how it’s done and I wrote it all down as we went along. She was patient with me and somehow knew that I would carry on her traditions. She passed away in February of this year at the age of 97. It will be my first Thanksgiving without her. I made these cookies today. It brought me great joy to think of how another grandmother wanted her recipes carried on. And, by the way…they are delicious! I didn’t have margarine and had to use butter…and made my own self rising flour. My kids ate the first dozen out of the oven already!

  5. I can’t wait to make these cookies for my husband. Oatmeal is his favorite!! What a lovely story about MeMa. I am so glad she survived the stroke and was able to remember some of her recipes

  6. Thank you Mary for sharing your story and your MeMa’s recipe. I am glad she survived that terrible stroke!!! I was like you when I was growing up, I didn’t help my mother cook and didn’t get her recipes until after I was grown and married. My mother had to be but in a nursing home and sometimes I would ask her how she cooked so and so. Sometimes she would remember, other times not.

    I also cook a few things at Christmas and Thanksgiving that she always made every year.

    I can’t wait to try your MeMa’s cookies!!!!!

    Thank you Christy for starting this!!! Hope you continue it even after the holidays!!!! I’ve got an idea, why don’t you do a cookbook with all of our recipes?? LOL!!!

    Happy Thanksgiving y’all!!!!

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