Old-Fashioned Church Lady Crispy Cookies
Today’s recipe is a gem: Old-fashioned church lady crispy cookies. These cookies are the real deal; a made-with-love, tried-and-true recipe straight from the potluck tables of my home church in rural South Dakota. Simple, crispy, and absolutely irresistible. This recipe has stood the test of time!
This classic cookie recipe is extra special because it’s tested and approved by an entire group of church ladies.
Say what?
I grew up in the most quaint, picturesque of country churches in rural South Dakota. In attendance were many older couples. The older ladies, in particular, were so kind, taking genuine interest in my life.
Church potlucks and Ladies Aid meetings were frequent events. And every time anyone from the church met up, there was food.
Lots and lots of food.
The desserts were the best part. And one of the desserts in particular that would show up at almost every event were these crispy cookies.
To the best of my knowledge, this crispy cookie recipe comes from a sweet lady named Sadie. But it’s probably one of those recipes that became church famous and got passed around from kitchen to kitchen, origin unknown.
Both my grandma and my mom would make these cookies.
And now I have started making them, too. (Much to my brothers’ and dad’s delight)
Once you try them, you might start making them regularly. And the recipe lives on!
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- This recipe makes a huge batch: This recipe yields about 5 dozen cookies. That’s a lot of bang for your buck!
- As the name suggests, they’re crispy. The texture is addictive. They crumble a little when you eat them. Kind of like a Pecan Sandie (remember those?)
- The recipe is simple. Very low fuss. Basically foolproof. Just mix the wet ingredients, mix the dry ingredients, and then mix them together and bake.
A Note On The Vegetable Oil
Yes, this recipe calls for vegetable oil. An ingredient many of us try to avoid eating and cooking with. But keep in mind it’s an old-fashioned recipe. For better or for worse, ingredients fall in and out of fashion.
If you’re on the fence about baking with vegetable oil, I urge you to make an exception for this delicious cookie recipe!
Ingredients: What You’ll Need
This is a simple, old-fashioned cookie recipe that doesn’t require any hard-to-find ingredients. You’ll need:
White granulated sugar
Brown sugar
Butter
Vegetable oil
1 egg
Vanilla
Baking soda
Salt
Cream of tartar
All-purpose flour
Quick oats (not old-fashioned)
Shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
Rice Krispies
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Instructions (You Can Do This!)
Are you more of a cook or a baker? I’m more of a cook. I like the flexibility and creativity of non-baked recipes. To me, baked recipes are a little too easy to mess up.
Which is why I LOVE this old-fashioned church lady crispy cookie recipe. It’s not fussy. It’s not finicky. It’s hard to screw up – even if you’re more of a cook than a baker. Even if you’re new to cooking in general.
- Beat the sugars, butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl; then add the egg.
- In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients together (flour, soda, cream of tartar, salt)
- Then combine the wet and dry ingredients until a dough forms.
- Mix in the coconut, oats, and Rice Krispies (crispy rice cereal) – this is where the “crispy cookies” name comes from
- Let dough chill in the fridge for 30 minutes for best results.
- Roll into little balls and bake at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes.
Recipe & Storage Tips
- Make sure you use quick oats – not old fashioned
- These cookies are excellent with a cold glass of milk!
- Store cookies in an airtight container for 2 or more weeks (can also be frozen)
FAQs
Why does this recipe call for vegetable oil and butter?
That’s the old-fashioned magic! Using both butter and vegetable oil gives these cookies their distinctively crispy, light texture. The oil keeps them from becoming too dense or chewy, which is exactly what you want in a cookie like this. It’s a classic technique from an era before seed oils became controversial — and honestly, the results speak for themselves.
Can I substitute something else in lieu of the vegetable oil?
You can try a neutral oil like canola or avocado oil if you prefer. Keep in mind that changing the oil may slightly affect the texture, but the cookies should still turn out crispy and delicious.
Can I leave out the coconut or Rice Krispies?
The Rice Krispies are a big part of what makes these cookies so wonderfully crispy, so we’d recommend keeping them. The coconut adds a subtle sweetness and chew — you can use sweetened or unsweetened depending on your preference. The coconut flavor in the cookie isn’t too strong.
More Old-Fashioned Recipes Straight From The Church Basement
If you love the old fashioned recipes made famous at church potlucks, I’ve got you covered. Here are some of my favorite recipes:
- Sour Cream Raisin Pie
- Open-Faced Sandwiches
- Rhubarb Custard Cake
- Three Bean Potluck Hotdish
- 30+ Hotdish Recipes
Old-Fashioned Church Lady Crispy Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
- 1 cup Rice Krispies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, place white sugar, brown sugar, butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Mix in egg and beat until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, sift together soda, salt, cream of tartar, and flour. Slowly add dry mixture to wet mixture and stir to combine.
- Stir in oats, coconut, and Rice Krispies.
- For best results, let dough chill for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- Take a heaping teaspoon of cookie dough, roll in a ball, and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly toasted.