Santa's Stockings

1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter, softened
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 1/2 cups Quaker Oats (Quick or Old Fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds (optional)
Decorating icing
Semisweet chocolate pieces
Candy-coated chocolate pieces

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two cookie sheets.

2. Beat margarine and sugars until creamy. Add egg, milk and almond extract; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in oats, dried cherries and almonds; mix well. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. With moistened hands, pat dough onto prepared cookie sheets into 1/4-inch thick holiday shapes such as stockings, Christmas trees or candy canes.

3. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack with wide spatula or pancake turner. Cool completely.

4. Decorate cookies as desired.

Makes 4 jumbo cookies

For Gift Giving: Wrap decorated cookies individually in plastic wrap. Pack each cookie in separate gift bag filled with crumpled tissue paper in holiday colors.

Variations
For easy drop cookies, heat oven to 375 degrees F. Follow recipe as directed above except drop dough by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Quaker Oats - used with permission.