The Art Mart's Oatmeal Cookies

Emily from Champaign requested the recipe for these cookies, and so, cautiously and with much trepidation, I approached owner Brian McKay one recent Saturday morning to ask if, uh, there was any way on earth they would consider sharing what I knew to be a treasured family recipe with all of us. He seemed pretty enthused and said he'd speak to the ladies whose recipe it was and would get back to me. A day or two later, there it was in an e-mail and I was thrilled.

The Art Mart, as you may know, has been in business in C-U since 1958. The variety of items and services the store offers is rather mind boggling. The store now carries everything from dinnerware and home furnishings to kitchen and bath products to fun gift items and cards, and even clothing (check out the whimsical nightshirts and pajamas they currently have—very cute).Art Mart Foods stocks fine food products from all over the world, as well as cookbooks and kitchen equipment. In the deli you'll find high-quality meats and cheeses, nuts, olives, and much more. The bakery area offers breads, homemade croissants, coffee, and gelato. And of course, COOKIES.The Art Mart's Oatmeal Cookies
From the kitchen of Etta Davis (founders Linda Ballard & Carol Ann Hurt's mother, current owner Courtney Ballard McKay's grandmother)

Note from Brian McKay: Almost all of the items we make in the store—salads, sandwiches, soups, etc.—are from Mrs. Davis. She owned a catering business in White Hall, IL.

1/4 lb butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup corn oil
1/2 pound flour
2 eggs
1 tsp Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup raisins

Blend butter and sugars together until light & fluffy. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla. Continue beating until very light in color. Add flour, salt, and soda and mix well. At this point scrape the bottom of mixer bowl to make sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Add remaining ingredients and mix until just blended.

Use a #16 scoop (about 1/4 cup; a standard ice-cream scoop will work) and flatten to about 1/2 inch. Garnish each cookie with a slice of maraschino cherry. Bake at 350 for 6 minutes, then rotate and bake for 6 more minutes. Should yield approx 17 cookies.
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The Art Mart owners recommend using a stand mixer for the cookie dough because it's thick. If you don't have a stand mixer, I'm sure you can make do with a hand-held one and some muscle.

Also recommended is a silicone baking sheet liner. The Art Mart carries the Silpat brand, shown below.Oh, and I want to mention also that you'll find fabulous gelato in a variety of flavors in the bakery area. The gelato comes from Palazzolo's Artisan Gelato & Sorbetto in Saugatuck, Michigan. The apple-pie variety was a winner with the oatmeal cookies!So many fun flavors: malted milk ball, spumoni, spiced hazelnut fig, root beer, chocolate almond fudge. Mmm.

Caramel sauce on your gelato? Good idea. They have that, too.

Sweet.

Many thanks to Brian, Courtney, Linda, and family for sharing the oatmeal cookie recipe with Emily and the rest of us. Emily says not to worry, because if she makes the oatmeal cookies at home, she'll "just buy more M & M cookies and gelato" at the store!

Art Mart, Art Mart Foods, & Art Mart Toys
Lincoln Square Village, Urbana
217-344-7979
See the store's Web site for more info and store hours

Is there a recipe from a local food establishment that you'd love to have? E-mail me at champaigntaste AT gmail DOT com and I'll do my best to get it for you.

To check out recipes from C-U chefs that have appeared previously in this column, see my companion blog, More Champaign Taste (scroll down to the recipes section).