Makes 24
Baking cookies is a wonderful distraction when you're stuck at home in self-quarantine. Dig into your pantry and use the nut and dried fruit combination here, or mix in different nuts and fruits, or any chocolate chips. Add 1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger, if you like ginger. The recipe is intended for old-fashioned rolled oats, but if you only have quick-cooking, skip the pulsing in the food processor; when the cookies are halfway done, press them down slightly with a spatula to flatten them and bake only 12 minutes. As you think about what to put into the batter, consider this: Almost anything goes. Share the bounty with friends and neighbors, leaving the package by the front door, of course.
| 1 | cup walnuts or raw almonds or pecans, or a combination |
| 1½ | cups old-fashioned rolled oats (use quick-cooking if that's all you have) |
| 1 | cup flour |
| ½ | teaspoon ground cinnamon |
| ½ | teaspoon baking soda |
| ½ | teaspoon kosher salt |
| ½ | cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature |
| ⅔ | cup granulated sugar |
| ½ | cup packed light or dark brown sugar |
| 1 | egg |
| 1 | teaspoon vanilla extract |
| ¾ | cup raisins, dried cranberries, snipped apricots, or chocolate chips |
1. Set the oven at 375 degrees. Line 2 large unrimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Place the nuts in a small baking dish. Toast in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes, turning often, or until fragrant and pale golden. Transfer to a plate; cool.
3. In a food processor, pulse the nuts until they are coarsely ground. Tip back onto the plate.
4. Place 1 cup of the oats in the food processor. Process until ground to a coarse powder. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Pulse twice just to blend them.
5. In an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the granulated and brown sugar. Mix until fully. Beat in the egg, followed by the vanilla. Add the oat mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Stir in the nuts and dried fruits or chips until thoroughly blended.
6. Form the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place them 2 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
7. Bake the cookies for 12 to 13 minutes, switching the position of the baking sheets from back to front halfway through cooking, or until the cookies are golden and still slightly soft. They should feel tender, but not look moist or uncooked in the center; if so, add 1 minute to the baking time. They will crisp up as they cool.
8. Slide the parchment sheet with the cookies onto wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Lisa Zwirn
Makes 24
Baking cookies is a wonderful distraction when you're stuck at home in self-quarantine. Dig into your pantry and use the nut and dried fruit combination here, or mix in different nuts and fruits, or any chocolate chips. Add 1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger, if you like ginger. The recipe is intended for old-fashioned rolled oats, but if you only have quick-cooking, skip the pulsing in the food processor; when the cookies are halfway done, press them down slightly with a spatula to flatten them and bake only 12 minutes. As you think about what to put into the batter, consider this: Almost anything goes. Share the bounty with friends and neighbors, leaving the package by the front door, of course.
| 1 | cup walnuts or raw almonds or pecans, or a combination |
| 1½ | cups old-fashioned rolled oats (use quick-cooking if that's all you have) |
| 1 | cup flour |
| ½ | teaspoon ground cinnamon |
| ½ | teaspoon baking soda |
| ½ | teaspoon kosher salt |
| ½ | cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature |
| ⅔ | cup granulated sugar |
| ½ | cup packed light or dark brown sugar |
| 1 | egg |
| 1 | teaspoon vanilla extract |
| ¾ | cup raisins, dried cranberries, snipped apricots, or chocolate chips |
1. Set the oven at 375 degrees. Line 2 large unrimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Place the nuts in a small baking dish. Toast in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes, turning often, or until fragrant and pale golden. Transfer to a plate; cool.
3. In a food processor, pulse the nuts until they are coarsely ground. Tip back onto the plate.
4. Place 1 cup of the oats in the food processor. Process until ground to a coarse powder. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Pulse twice just to blend them.
5. In an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the granulated and brown sugar. Mix until fully. Beat in the egg, followed by the vanilla. Add the oat mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Stir in the nuts and dried fruits or chips until thoroughly blended.
6. Form the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place them 2 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
7. Bake the cookies for 12 to 13 minutes, switching the position of the baking sheets from back to front halfway through cooking, or until the cookies are golden and still slightly soft. They should feel tender, but not look moist or uncooked in the center; if so, add 1 minute to the baking time. They will crisp up as they cool.
8. Slide the parchment sheet with the cookies onto wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Lisa Zwirn can be reached at lzwirn9093@gmail.com.