Warmth on a cold night

And boy have we had plenty of 'em (with more to come - crazy low temps on deck this weekend!)...brrrr!  It makes you just want to cuddle up with a blanket, a cup of hot chocolate and these:

Back to basics, as per my husband's request.  Make sure you snatch them up right from the oven!  Hope there's something good on TV tonight :)


Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Joy Of Baking

1 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped (optional - I omitted)

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (I used salted and they were just fine!)

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup dried cranberries, cherries or raisins or 1 cup white or dark chocolate chips (optional - I used semi-sweet chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

(To toast nuts: Place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop into pieces)

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, and ground cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in the nuts, oats, and dried cranberries or chocolate chips. 

For large cookies, use 1/4 cup of batter (I like to use an ice cream scoop) and space the cookies about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Then wet your hand and flatten the cookies slightly with your fingers so they are about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake the cookies for about 12 - 15 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges but still soft and a little wet in the centers. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Makes about 20 - 24 large cookies