Thursday, January 31, 2013

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies


Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 144.

These were not what I expected but they are delicious. The chocolate oatmeal cookies I remember were the ones my mother made and the ones in our school cafeteria. They were very moist and chewy. These are very crisp. They should be stored in an airtight container or they can be frozen (thaw before unwrapping) to keep them crisp.

2/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup plus 1 TBS. unsweetened coca powder (preferably Dutch process0
2 2/3 oz. (5 1/3 TBS.) sweet butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
2 1/2 cups quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa and set aside.
Cream the butter in large mixer bowl.


Add the vanilla.

Add the sugar. Mix well.

Add the egg and beat until mixed.

On low speed, add half of the dry ingredients.

Add the milk.
Add the remaining dry ingredients (you will need to scrape the bowl with a plastic spatula to thoroughly mix.
Mix in the oatmeal.
Use a tablespoon (or slightly larger) scoop to make mounds of dough for each cookie. Place them about 2 inches apart. The cookies will rise and flatten as they bake.
Bake for about 18-22 minutes (start checking after 15 minutes). Reverse and swap the cookie sheets halfway through baking. The tops of the cookies will feel semi-firm to the touch when ready. Do not underbake. Cool for a few minutes before removing them from the foil with a spatula. Cool completely and store in an airtight container or they can be frozen.
    

5 comments:

Jen said...

I prefer chewy cookies to crisp, but I still haven't perfected how to get chewy cookies all the time. I know it has to do with butter temperature, but what that magic temperature is, I'm still working on. I just made some brown butter chocolate chip cookies. Last time I made them, they were amazingly good, chewy, perfect. My sister compared them to my grandmother's cookies, which is about the highest compliment possible. Hers were perfection. Anyways, this time I made them and they are crisp and dense, like shortbread. I was so disappointed! The husband likes shortbread cookies so he has been yumming them up. Probably for the best (for my waistline).

These cookies look crisp and yummy, though, the kind of lacy crispness I like in a crisp cookie.

Nikoo said...

Love your blog! I found it by accident while looking for more Maida recipes (I am a huge fan and own her book of great desserts). Have you ever tried making her Sour Cream Chocolate Layer Cake? I am really curious to try it out.

Phillip Oliver said...

Nikoo, haven't tried that one yet but I plan to soon!

Kate Jorgensen said...

I don't know if it helps, or it you know this now. But in my cafeteria they served the chocolate no-bake cookies. That may be what you were thinking of?

Phillip Oliver said...

Kate - yes that is it!