Make back-to-school prep fun: Bond with your kids by baking. They will have a yummy treat for their lunchbox and/or a special after-school snack.

Jessie-Sierra Ross鈥� loaded oatmeal raisin cookies are a family favorite. Packed with oats, raisins, chocolate and dried cranberries, it鈥檚 the perfect lunchbox treat.听

鈥淲e love this recipe in my house because it’s so adaptable,鈥� Ross, creator of the Straight to the Hips, Baby blog and author of 鈥淪easons Around the Table,鈥� told the Journal.听 鈥淎nd it makes a great weekend baking project with the kids.鈥�

The Ultimate Loaded Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe

2 sticks salted butter slightly softened but still cool to the touch
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar packed
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350掳F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Reserve.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or, in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), cream together the butter and light brown sugar until combined.

Next, add the vanilla extract to the bowl along with the 2 eggs.

Beat on medium speed until well combined.

In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and ground cinnamon. Fork stir.

Add the dry ingredients slowly to the creamed butter and sugar, on low to medium speed, until blended.

Next, stir in the oatmeal, dried fruit and chocolate chips, until incorporated.

Scrape down the bowl and the beaters, and cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap. Pop into the refrigerator to chill for at least 15 minutes. This will stop the cookies from spreading too far while baking.

After chilling, pull out your prepared cookie sheets and measure out 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Roll slightly in your hands and place on the cookie sheet.

Next, either using your palm, the bottom of a drinking glass, or a cookie stamp, gently press down on the cookie dough evenly. We want the cookie dough to flatten and spread slightly.

Continue scooping / rolling / pressing until you have 6-8 cookies per sheet.

Bake the two pans on the center racks of your oven for 13-15 minutes, or until set with slightly browned edges.

After baking, let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, before transferring to a larger cooling rack.

Repeat the process.

Once cool, store cookies in an airtight container.

Judy Elbaum鈥檚 chocolate chip bars is a fun, simple, kid-friendly recipe, perfect for getting everyone in the back-to-school spirit. 鈥淥lder children can help to measure and mix up the ingredients in the mixer, while the little ones can add the ingredients and help to fold in the nuts and chocolate chips,鈥� Elbaum, founder of the Leave it to Bubbe blog, told the Journal. 鈥淭hey can get creative as they drizzle on designs with the caramel and chocolate glazes.鈥� These bars tend to disappear quickly, so you might want to make more than one batch!

鈥淵ou can have some fun with this recipe by substituting the bittersweet chocolate chips with milk or white chocolate chips, peanut butter or butterscotch chips 鈥� or a combination of some or all of them,鈥� Elbaum said. 鈥淵ou can also substitute your favorite nut for the walnuts: Pecans, almonds, peanuts and macadamia nuts would work well.鈥�

Chocolate Chip Bars

Cookie Bars
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening (I use Crisco)
1 1/4 cups pack brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Caramel Glaze
4 ounces caramel candies
2 Tbsp water

Chocolate Glaze
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate
2 ounces butter or margarine
1/2 Tbsp honey

Preheat the oven to 350掳F. 听

Grease and flour a 9×9″ square baking pan.听 Cut out a 9×9″ piece of parchment or wax paper to place on the bottom of the baking pan for easy removal of the bars after they are baked.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt and combine well with a whisk.听 Set aside.

Place the shortening in a mixing bowl and with an electric mixer beat for 1 to 2 minutes until fluffy. Add the brown sugar and beat for about two minutes until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla, beating until well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in 2 to 3 additions, and mix on low speed until just incorporated.

Fold in the chocolate chips and the walnuts until well mixed.听

Place the dough into the prepared 9-inch square baking pan, spread evenly and bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.

Cut the bars into 16 squares (make sure to remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the bars) and serve as is or with a sprinkling of confectioner鈥檚 sugar.

If desired, drizzle chocolate and/or caramel glaze over the bars.

For the caramel glaze: Place caramel candies and water in a small heavy saucepan and stir until melted and smooth. Dip a teaspoon into the warm glaze and with a backward/forward motion drizzle the caramel over the bars. For the chocolate glaze

For the chocolate glaze: Place chocolate, butter, and honey on the top part of a double boiler over (not touching) simmering water and whisk until fully melted and smooth.听 While the glaze is still warm to the touch, use a teaspoon to drizzle the chocolate glaze over the bars with a backward/forward motion.