1995 OATMEAL COOKIE ORNAMENTS

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup rolled oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

Beat together butter, sugar and vanilla. Add mixture of flour, oats and salt; mix well. Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into a roll about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap; chill about 3 hours.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap rolls and cut into 1/4 -inch slices. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Poke hole at top of each cookie with drinking straw before baking if you wish to hang them. (Repeat immediately after baking if hole closes.)

Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Decorate with frosting. Insert candy licorice string or narrow ribbon through hole of decorated cooky. Tie ends together. Makes 3 1/2 dozen.

Angels: Cut each slice of dough in half, forming half-circles. Place half circles on cookie sheet so round edges touch. Make heads by rolling small portions of dough into balls; gently press between tops of wings. Poke holes at tops of each wing and bake as directed. Decorate.

Glitter cookies: Sprinkle with colored sugar crystals before baking.

Christmas trees: Tint each portion of dough with green food coloring. Shape roll into triangle by flattening sides. Chill. Cut into slices. Cut small squares for tree trunks from several slices and attach to trees on cookie sheet. Bake as directed. Decorate (or sprinkle with green sugar crystals before baking).

- From Quaker Oats