Posts Tagged ‘oatmeal cookies’

Happy Father’s Day Cookies

Sunday, June 21st, 2009

Oatmeal… Hazelnut Butter… Double Chocolate Chips

Hazelnut Cookies

I have to give my husband serious props for this one.  I was making my usual 100% whole grain oatmeal cookies with walnut meal and he said, “You know what you should do… you should use hazelnut butter instead of walnuts.”  So that is exactly what I did and the result was a really gourmet treat. 

They’re called “Happy Father’s Day Cookies” instead of just “Father’s Day Cookies,” because I doubled the chocolate chips for my chocoholic hubby to enjoy on his first father’s day.  So here is my gift to all of you gourmet dads out there.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY COOKIES

You will need:

  • 1 1/4 cups butter (2 1/2 sticks)
  • 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 cup hazelnut butter
  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 
  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Put it together:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Cream butter and sugar, mix in egg, then mix in hazelnut butter
  • In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder and cinnamon
  • Slowly beat flour mixture into wet ingredients 
  • Scrape bowl and mix a few seconds longer
  • Add oatmeal and chocolate chips, mixing only until combined
  • Scoop batter onto cookie sheets and bake for 14 minutes (for chewier) to 17 minutes (for crunchier) or until light brown
  • Remove sheets from oven and allow to cool a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack

Makes about five dozen.

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Recipe Report: Oatmeal Cookie Comparison

Saturday, March 21st, 2009

I made two different recipes of oatmeal cookies recently. The first recipe I used was from the pastry flour bag and was tasteless and lacking texture. The second batch was from Alton Brown’s cookbook: I’m Just Here for More Food: Food x Mixing + Heat = Baking. This is not just a cookbook, but a text for learning the how and why of baking. Chef Brown’s understanding of the importance of baking technique made a far superior cookie.

Both of these recipes had basically the same ingredients, but in different quantities and with different techniques.  The better of the two did not spread out all over the pan, but held a good shape and had a great texture.  I even tried adding an egg to the egg-less flour bag recipe, but it couldn’t rescue the taste, texture or shape. 

Now, of course I couldn’t follow the recipe in I’m Just Here for More Food directly.  Instead of white flour, I used whole wheat pastry flour and not being a fan of raisins, I added very finely chopped walnuts instead.  I also added a few chocolate chips to half the batch, but I have to admit, the chip-free cookies were just as good (and I’m a huge chocolate fan).  I baked them to crispy. 

I’ve made other recipes from this cookbook with great success.  If you had to buy one baking book, I’d suggest this one.  Even as a whole grain baker, I find the recipes easily adaptable.  In my opinion, I’d rather start out with a tasty recipe with a good technique and adapt it to be whole grain than fumble around with a second rate whole grain recipe. 

Note:  There are other oatmeal cookie recipes by Alton Brown printed on the web, but I haven’t seen this particular one.  I don’t think it’s kosher to reprint it here, so you’re just going to have to go check the book out for yourselves.  I highly recommend the library if your cookbook shelf is as stuffed as mine. 

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