HEATHER’S HIGHLANDER OATMEAL COOKIES
… best made while savoring a wee dram.
In homage to a favorite series, Outlander, I’ve modified and romanticized a cookie recipe from Bon Appetit by using organic ingredients and adding a variety of flavorful dried fruit to compliment raisins used so successfully in many oatmeal cookie recipes. These cookies are thin, soft, and sweet with just right amount of crunch around the bits in the center.
Know Before You Go On:
You will need over an hour to make this recipe. And that’s after you’ve brought the butter and egg to room temperature and toasted the oats and nuts.
The time it takes is worth it. Just like true love. Perhaps have a wee dram nearby to pass the time?
Heather’s Highlander Oatmeal Cookies
INGREDIENTS
Don’t forget to bring the egg and butter to room temperature first! And preheat your oven now to 425 degrees to toast the oats and nuts.
2 cups organic old-fashioned oats
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup raisins, dried sour cherries, and or dried cranberries. Feel free to mix and match or simply use the dried fruit of your choice.
1 cup buckwheat or rice flour (for a more blonde version)
1 teaspoon kosher or course salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (if possible)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted organic butter at room temperature
3/4 cup packed organic light brown sugar - or “make your own” with a generous pour of barley malt into organic cane sugar spun in a food processor. This switch requires a longer blending time for the sugar to break up and fall in love with the butter, like Claire eventually does with Jamie in the series, Outlander.
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 large egg at room temperature
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
STEPS
As a reminder, this recipe takes some time as you’ll need to:
1) Bring both the butter and the egg to room temperature, like a honeymoon night after an arranged marriage.
2) Toast the oats in 425 degree oven. Let them become golden. Watch ‘em cuz they like to burn … like Jamie’s strong and knowing eyes staring right into your secret soul. I tossed and turned my oats periodically. Remove when ready and let them cool down.
3) Toast the nuts. Same toasting method.
4) Using an electric mixer on medium, beat butter, brown sugar, and cane sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. 3-4 minutes
5) Add egg, syrup, vanilla and beat until they’ve shared a dance. 1 minute.
6) Add dry ingredients, dried fruit, and nuts only until combined. Use mixing spoon or spatula for this bit.
7) After mixing all ingredients, LET IT SIT FOR 1 HOUR to soften the oats and flours. We all know this is code for consummate the marriage.
8) Line 2 rimmed baking sheets or a flat sheet covered with parchment paper.
This HOUR is a perfect time to finish your wee dram …
perhaps while listening to a soundtrack of Outlander, so beautifully composed by Bear Mccreary.
Dance around if you want to.
I did!
AFTER 1 HOUR PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES TO BAKE
Time to bake! I used an ice cream scoop, firmly packed each time, to drop the mix on the parchment covered baking sheet.
The recipe makes about 12 big fat cookies that will spread on the parchment, so be sure to leave AMPLE room for them to swell with LOVE. 3 inches apart.
With alternative flour, I baked them for 7 minutes, turned the baking sheet front to back and baked another 7, and then back again for about 3 minutes. That added 10 minutes if you’re doing the math.
Of course, you know your oven, but the centers can be tricky to time, especially if you like a little goo without burning the bottom and sides! This recipe is a bit more work, but as I stated earlier, I think these are worth it!
~Slainte
