Oatmeal Cookies

This might be my last post for this month...might be. Since Im preparing for my driving theory test, got some reading to do-which is moving real real slowly. I thought I wont have anymore tests after my college....Now here is another one...Im a bit nervous for some reason. May be it is because Im doing a test for first time in UK...

These cookies are easy to make, and are packed with lot of nutrients and fibre. Did you know that Oats lowers the cholesterol content in the body and helps to maintain a healthy heart? Apart from Oats, these cookies are enriched with different nuts and fruits. And what more, to please my craving I added some chocolate as well. Since I made large cookies just one was enough for a breakfast or tea and was so filing and refreshing. You can include this in your kid’s breakfast box and it will give them energy throughout the school day. This cookie is quite versatile as well. You can omit raisins if you don’t like them and add more nuts or chocolate, or you can omit nuts and add raisins or any dried fruit.

The cookies that I made before had a dough that has to be rolled out and then cut with the cookie cutter or has a thick batter like dough with dropping consistency. I expected somewhat the same texture for this cookie as well. But the dough was quite dry and had a crumbly texture just breadcrumbs or oats moistened with little water. I was very unsure how this was going to turn out, seeing the texture of the dough. I took ¼ cup of the dough, pressed in round shape using hand and then kept it on parchment paper, and pressed down with wet hands and popped it in the oven eagerly waiting for the first batch. The cookies were perfect; unlike I thought it would be. Sigh.

Some points you need to take into account while baking this cookie or generally many cookies is just bake them until you see the edge has started turning golden brown. If you will wait for the whole top to get golden brown, the cookie will be almost charred underneath and when it cools, it becomes very hard. If you need the cookie to be crispy and chewy, just bake them until the edges turn golden brown and the centre is still a bit wet. Apart from that, leave the cookie to cool in the parchment paper (outside the oven of course) itself for around 5 minutes before taking them out. If you try to take the cookie out at this point of time, they will be soft and it will crumble. After 5 minutes of cooling in the parchment paper, turn them on the wire rack for further cooling and to let the steam out. If you don’t cool them in the wire rack, they will tend to get soaky holding the moisture in. Once the cookies are completely cooled, transfer them to an air tight container.

This recipe is adapted from Joyofbaking .

Ingredients:
170 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup Muscavado sugar or light brown sugar
2 medium eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup Plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon powder
3 cups oats (I used Quaker Oats)
½ cup Raisins (Optional)
½ cup white or Milk chocolate (cut into chunks)(Optional)
1 cup nuts, toasted and chopped (You can use walnuts, hazelnut, pecans, cashews or mixture of any nuts. (Optional)

Preparation:
1. To toast nuts: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and toast nuts for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop into pieces. Set aside.
2. In the large bowl, using a hand whisker, cream the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and fold in slowly until incorporated. Stir in the nuts, oats, Raisins and chocolate chips.
4. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. For large cookies, use 1/4 cup of batter or an ice cream scoop and space the cookies about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the baking sheet.
5. Wet your hand and flatten the cookies with your fingers so they are about 1 cm thick. Bake the cookies for about 12 - 15 minutes at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C), 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 for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
Makes about 20 - 24 large cookies

This post is another entry for the 'the love of chocolate' Hosted by Poornima of Poornimastastytreats.