Dishpan Cookies

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Dishpan cookies are the perfect cookie in my book! Soft and chewy with slightly crispy edges, they live up to their name, as you never know what kind of delicious texture and flavor surprise is hiding inside.

Broken dishpan cookie.

I suppose I’ve always had a soft spot when it comes to homemade cookies. As a girl, my mother made fresh homemade cookies like these dishpan cookies twice a week, every week!

Living up to their name, dishpan cookies contain all sorts of goodness and the batter is generally far too massive to fit into a bowl in order to mix. So, what does the cookie dough include? A delicious combination of brown and white sugar, with vanilla extract, flour, quick oats, and cornflakes. This cookie recipe makes a very old-fashioned-tasting cookie. This recipe reminds me of something I had in our lunchroom at school as a child. We’ve included several recipe variations below, so you can make your own version of kitchen sink cookies (that’s what they’re all about).

These are also GREAT cookies to give away. These dishpan cookies travel well, freeze well, stay fresh longer than most cookies just sealed in a jar on the counter, and they also mail well. Even better, if you like crisp cookies, just bake them two minutes or so longer and you’ll have them! If you like chewy, bake them just until done. 

Labeled recipe ingredients for dishpan cookies.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Light brown sugar
  • White sugar
  • Vanilla
  • Oil
  • Eggs
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Quick oats
  • Cornflakes
Cream together the sugars, vanilla, eggs, and salt.

In a large bowl or dishpan, add sugars, vanilla, oil, and eggs. Cream well.

The ingredients when creamed together.

It will look like this.

In a different bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix well.

Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix well.

Pour in oats and mix well.

Now pour in your oats and mix well.

Add cornflakes to cookie batter and mix well.

Now add your cornflakes and mix REALLY well!

A well-mixed dishpan cookie batter.

You can stop when the dish pan cookie dough is well mixed.

Drop large scoops onto cookie sheets.

Drop 1/4 cup-sized scoops of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet if you want them to be the size of mine. If you want smaller, just drop by tablespoons or slightly larger, your preference.

Baked dishpan cookies on wire rack.

Bake at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes. Add a few minutes more if you want them crispy. These will stay chewy and fresh for about two weeks, but folks have enjoyed them very much even after that!

Plate of dishpan cookies.

BEWARE OF COOKIE MONSTERS!

Take some to your neighbors, your kid’s teachers, your friends, or your Mama!

Storage

  • Store your dishpan cookies in an airtight container either at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
  • The cookies also freeze really well. You can either freeze the cookie dough or the baked cookies.

Hand holding a large dishpan cookie.

Recipe Notes

  • I like to make these cookies LARGE. I measure out 1/4 cup-sized balls and bake them to be extra-large. This cookie is sturdy enough to handle the larger size plus it is a nice little gift when you simply put one cookie in a cellophane gift bag and tie it with a curling ribbon, as I did this morning when I attached them to invitations for my daughter’s birthday.
  • Here are some fun dishpan cookie recipe variations. Mix and matching ingredients are the best part of baking dishpan cookies!
    • 2 cups of oats and 2 cups of sweetened coconut flakes to make coconut oatmeal dishpan cookies.
    • 1 cup of quick oats and 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips for a unique take on a chocolate chip cookie.
    • 1 1/2 cups of oats, 1 cup of chocolate chips, and 2 cups of Rice Krispies.
    • Add 1 cup of chopped nuts or raisins to our original recipe.

You might also enjoy these cookie recipes!

White Chocolate Chip Big Cookie

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

How to Make Snickerdoodle Cookies

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Stack of dishpan cookies.

Dishpan Cookies

Soft and chewy with slightly crispy edges, dishpan cookies live up to their name, as you never know what kind of delicious texture and flavor surprise is hiding inside.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cookies
Servings: 4
Calories: 206kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups light brown sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups quick oats
  • 4 cups cornflakes

Instructions

  • In a very large bowl or dishpan, cream together the sugars, vanilla extract, oil, and eggs.
    2 cups light brown sugar, 1 cup white sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 cups oil, 4 eggs
  • In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and then fold in the oats and cornflakes.
    4 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 ½ cups quick oats, 4 cups cornflakes
  • Drop ¼ cup-sized dollops of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. This batter might be a little dry and you may have to smoosh it together with your hands to get it into a ball when you put it onto the pan.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 375, or until edges are lightly browned. If you want them to be chewy, bake a little less. If you want them to be crispy, a little more. I always double this recipe and do half chewy, half crunchy. They keep really well and are great for breakfast.
  • This freezes well both as a dough and as a finished cookie.

Nutrition

Calories: 206kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!
 


“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, 
 

but their echoes are truly endless.”

~Mother Teresa

Submitted by Vickie. Thank you Vickie!

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251 Comments

  1. These are going to be perfect to send with my hubby to share with co-workers! And to take to family when we go on our 2 week trip to GA during the holidays. I always want to take goodies, but it’s hard to find things that travel well and last a long time.

    Thanks Christy!

  2. Those look so good! I have a couple of those big red dishpans, but I’m not sure I want to make cookies in them – I actually use them to wash dishes and I see the kind of gunk that floats around in there! Maybe I’ll just use a really big bowl…

    I made your fried green tomatoes, and they were soooo good! I’ll be posting those in the next few days, with a link back to you of course! 🙂

  3. I just finished a post about Southern Plate on my blog Life at the Lake. The Dishpan Cookies are very similar to a recipe from my Grandma called Dunkin Cookies that have even more ingredients – like raisins or chocolate chips, coconut and nuts! I’ve put a link to your blog on mine. Thanks for all the inspiration.
    http://www.lifeatthelake07.blogspot.com

  4. Your mama was so good to you, makin’ all of those cookies for you guys. The only time my mama made cookies was when it was my turn to bring the snack for snacktime at school (or for my Girl Scout meetings).

    I just got a new job baking at a coffee shop, I’ll see if I can sneak these into the menu… 🙂

  5. Hey Tomato Lady! I just went to your blog and was delighted to find that recipe for hamburger buns! I had been looking for a good one just this week!!! Thank you!!

    Sharon: You have a great blog! I planned on hopping over and next thing you know I was reading about you giving away the three bags of girls clothes and homeschool books and it was just like sitting down with you having a chat!!! You know, my husband mentioned adding chocolate chips this last time I made them, too! They would be fabulous but you know what would be even better? BUTTERSCOTCH CHIPS!!!
    we are huge on the butterscotch chips around here!

    Thank you so much for linking to me on your blog! I’m going to add a link to you this evening…….okay it might be tomorrow, but I’m going to do it!!
    thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Christy

  6. Hey there. I will definitly have to try this.:) These cookies sound great. HMMM I wonder how chocolate chips would tast in these? I love chocolate.:) I will post recipes that I have tried later on my blog. Dh leaves definitly on Sunday. They had to keep pushing up the date cause of the hurricane. But things are pretty much back to work conditions. Hope you are having a great night.:) By the way here is my blog. http://www.leclairfamily.com/SJBlog It isn’t perfect but a work in progress. I will be using this to keep dh update on everyday going ons here at home.:)

    Have fun!!
    Sharon:)

    1. 5 stars
      I love these cookies I make them year after year and everybody thinks they’re fantastic. Thanks for a great recipe.

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