100 and The Scent of a Cookie
WordPress informed me last week that I had posted my 99th post, and I went on the thought path of wondering what my 100th blog post should be about. It seemed daunting – ridiculous, I know. I had a few draft posts but they weren’t milestone worthy. After a couple days, I decided I was thinking about it too much and let the thought go. And then while I was baking cookies last night, that distinct aroma hit my nose and the lightbulb went off; this is what 100 should be about: COOKIES.
A few years ago, I first posted this recipe and as it was then, it is still my go-to dessert recipe for potlucks, dinners, or just because. They disappear quickly which makes me happy because then I don’t eat them all!
Sean and I have an invisible ‘contract’ that stipulates certain things and one of his clauses is that as chief taste tester, he gets at least half a dozen cookies or equal to that of whatever baked goods are made. This was a clause added early in our relationship as whenever he brings baking to work, the crew snaps it up and he doesn’t necessarily get one or a piece, and that just won’t do. 😉
Sometimes the cookies turn out light and fluffy and sometimes they ‘flatten’ and become that perfect combination of ever so slightly crunchy, but chewy goodness. I haven’t figured out the why yet as the ingredients never change; but the ingredient brands occasionally do. Or it might be the room temperature or even the mood our oven is in. But they always turn out nicely so that will just have to be a project for a later time.
(*NOTE: Months later, I made these around Christmas time; and completely by accident, I figured it out! I was using the stand mixer for the wet ingredients and I got distracted opening a new bag of flour and dealing with the dry ingredients. The mixer had been going for a good couple minutes before I realized I needed to be paying attention again. But it gave the eggs and such a lot of air and made the best and most fluffy cookies. Mystery solved!)
Our condo is open concept so most of the place smelled like oatmeal chocolaty goodness. Falling asleep with the aroma of cookies lingering in the air is just heavenly. I rarely dream (or if I do, I never remember) but I would imagine they were sweet dreams.
What is your favourite cookie?
OATMEAL HONEY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup honey
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups flour – all purpose is best but try using spelt or kamut flour as an alternative (makes for even more delicous, melt in your mouth cookies!)
- 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
METHOD:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream honey, shortening and butter in with a mixer until smooth.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, and add vanilla. Mix well. (For extra fluffy cookies, mix for at least two minutes.)
- In a separate, smaller bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, soda and salt; whisk to mix well.
- Add flour mixture to honey mixture; mix thoroughly.
- Stir in chocolate chips and (optional) nuts.
- Use an ice cream scoop, cookie dough scoop, or large spoon to drop by the heaping teaspoonful onto greased baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned. Repeat for however many trays of cookies.
Recipe adapted from the National Honey Board.
