I'm sure you've heard: it's snowing in Seattle. Has been all week. It's kind of a big event around here. It's chilly out. It's wet. It's quiet. It's the kind of day that makes me want to bake. After venturing out for a walk in the snow, I needed a cookie. And not just any cookie. I needed a good cookie. A somewhat healthy but totally tastey cookie. Thankfully, I had the perfect recipe in mind. I've adapted this over the years from one of Dorie Greenspan's recipes. The result is what I consider to be the absolute perfect cookie. Good any day really, but especially on a snow day.
The Perfect Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Fruit Nut CookieAdapted from Dorie Greenspan’s “Baking: From My Home to Yours.”
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 4T unsalted butter at room temp. ¼ cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening ½ cup sugar ½ cup maple syrup 2 large eggs 1½ cup old-fashioned oats 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped or chips or chunks) 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans or peanuts all work) 1 cup coarsely chopped dried fruit (apricots, prunes, figs, dark or golden raisins)
1. Mix together the flours, baking powder + soda, and salt.
2. Working with a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and shortening together at medium speed until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the sugar and beat for another 2 minutes. Pour in the molasses/syrup and beat for 1 minute more. Add the eggs one at a time and beat for 1 minute after each.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the oats, then add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the dough. Toss in the nuts, fruit and chocolate and turn the mixer on and off quickly a few times to incorporate. Alternatively, you can stir them into the dough with a rubber spatula.
6. Use an ice cream scoop (2T. capacity) to divvy up the dough into rounded balls on the baking sheets. Leave 1½ inches between mounds.
7. Bake 15-18 minutes, rotating pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until the cookies are golden and just about set.
8. Remove the baking sheets to cooling racks and let the cookies rest on the sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring them to racks to cool at room temperature.
Enjoy with some coffee or cocoa.
