The Best Cookies Ever

For our Fabulous Food month, I wanted to share something brilliant and regency period-appropriate. But I don’t know any authentic regency recipes. What I do know is cookies.  I’ve taken this particular recipe to multiple potlucks and parties, and I have never left without someone requesting the recipe. Not once.

If you are sad, these cookies will make you happy. If you’re stuck, they will inspire you.

If you want someone to fall in love with you, make them these cookies. They’ll work. I promise.

Because I love these so much, I had my character Liz in Green Card make them. You can find the recipe included in that book and on my website, in addition to other recipes. The audio-book for Green Card is currently in production (squee!) and in honor of that, I am giving away two audio book codes, to be delivered when the audio-book is released. Comment to be entered.

And now, the recipe!

This is a base oatmeal cookie recipe that can be used with multiple fillings/ingredients.

Oatmeal Spice Cookies

1 ½ cups all-purpose or spelt flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1/4 teaspoon allspice

½ pound (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup loosely heaped brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups uncooked oats (quick or old fashioned)

2 cups filling – choose one: semi-sweet chocolate chips; butterscotch chips; raisins; dried cranberries, cherries, or currants; pecans or walnuts; some combination of the above. (Cranberry walnut and pecan cherry are personal favorites. Classic chocolate chip will make your heart sing.)

Mini chips are nice because they are less bulky when mixed with  oatmeal, but regular size make a chunkier cookie. For lacy, flatter cookies, melt butter first.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In medium bowl, combine dry ingredients, mix well and set aside.

In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy; add eggs and vanilla, beat well.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until combined.

Stir in oats and then chocolate chips gradually.

Spoon onto cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. If using a stone (which is the best way), make sure the cookies are still soft but not pale in the center when you take them out. Leave them on the stone for a few minutes to finish cooking, then cool on a wire rack. For a crispier cookie, leave in the oven a minute or two longer until the edges are brown, or cook on a metal cookie sheet, and remove from the pan after about a minute of cooling.

*Cooking on a stone makes all the difference. For quick, consistent cookies, put the stone in the oven while it preheats, then place the dough on the warm stone. 11 min. is perfect baking time for a hot stone. A cold stone usually needs 14 minutes. This will make a chewy cookie that doesn’t get hard unless it’s cooked longer.

Happy baking!

This is what they should like like when they come out of the oven if you want a chewy cookie. A little wet, but fully formed. Leave them on the stone a few minutes to finish cooking.

This is a crispier cookie – no wet spots and darker in color. If you are cooking on a stone, take them off as soon as they are firm enough or they will continue cooking until they burn.