Saturday, January 13, 2007

Cookie Jar: Chewy Cherry Oatmeal Cookies


My plan was to not make any cookies, brownies, cakes, cupcakes, or any other sweet treats until February. I got to January 13th. I have a terrible sweet tooth. I really needed a cookie. These are almost good for you, right? And Abbie will eat most of them, and my husband will eat the rest. I only made a 1/2 recipe, and used a 1 1/2 tsp. scoop for the cookies. Because the cookies were going to be so small and cherries are so big, I quartered the cherries. These hit the spot. Abbie was sous chef on these. They were on Martha Stewart a couple of days ago.

Chewy Cherry-Oatmeal Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen (I got about 4 dozen from a half batch and small scoop)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, or 1 cup apple butter (a healthier alternative)
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 cups Quaker Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt; set aside. Place butter, sugar, and honey in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat to combine. With the mixer on low, gradually add reserved flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in oats and cherries. Drop 1 tablespoon of dough at a time about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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