Canadian Recipes : Desserts

In the Neilson household, the kitchen was not typically Dad’s domain—except for a few cherished specialties that he made entirely his own. Among them, Ralph Neilson’s oatmeal crisp cookies stood out as a warm, familiar favourite that carried with it the quiet joy of his presence in the kitchen.

Years later, the recipe continues to ripple through the generations. Most recently, Dad’s legacy found new hands in the kitchen: his great-granddaughters. With ingredients lovingly prepared by their grandmother Karen, the little girls stirred, scooped, and shaped the very cookies their great-grandfather once made, this time as a surprise for their dad—Shawn Taylor—on Father’s Day.

It was a full-circle moment. The same recipe that once connected Ralph to his children was now connecting his great-grandchildren to theirs. Hands a little smaller, hearts just as big.

This oatmeal crisp cookie recipe is more than just a sweet treat. It’s a memory, a tradition, and a reminder that sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones that carry the most love.