Cookies That Brightened College Days

As part of our 2026 Synod Assembly under the theme Rooted in God’s Story, we are creating a community recipe book — Rooted at the Table. Submit your recipe by Friday, May 1, 2026, and learn more here.

Submitted by Michelle Reaban (Desert Cross, Tempe)

These oatmeal craisin cookies carry memories of care packages, encouragement, and kindness.

Shared originally by Grandma Thedens, the cookies became favorites for everyone who tasted them. During college, receiving these cookies in the mail became a meaningful reminder of love and support from home.

Simple gestures—like sending homemade cookies—often carry more meaning than we realize.

Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 C Brown Sugar

• 1 C White Sugar

• 1 Cup/227 g Butter (softened)

• 2 Eggs

• 1 tsp Baking Powder

• 1 tsp Baking Soda

• 1 tsp Cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp Salt

• 1 tsp Vanilla

• 1 1/2 C Oatmeal

• 2 C Flour

• 1 C Craisins

Instructions

• Pre Heat oven 350•

• Use Large mixing bowl

• Cream first 3 ingredients

• from mixture make small bouncy ball size balls of dough

• place on cookie sheet 1" apart

• Bake 13 minutes at 350•

Story

Grandma Thedens (Pr. Ken Ahlstrand's mother) taught me this recipe. These cookies quickly became a favorite of all who tried them. Grandma would send these and Kringla to me in college. It always brightened my day to get them.