The Cookie Jar

When I was a little girl, my Nana would make the best cookies....Ironically enough, my Grandfather was a Diabetic, yet there were always cookies in the house. I can rememeber being a little girl and my Grandpa Joe whispering, "Girls, go get me a cookie from the cookie jar, but shhhh...don't tell Mother." I somehow inherited the infamous cookie jar. When I received this old wooden cookie container, it still had crumbs in it from my Nana's cookies...as gross as that might be!! I cleaned it out and thought, I have to carry on the tradition of baking cookies and placing them in this jar. It helps that Mason (my oldest son) loves to bake. I think he really just likes eating the butter & sugar after they have been creamed together. Can you blame him???


I have a new favorite cookie recipe. It came from my friend Sara @http://culinerapy.blogspot.com . I think it was her Grandmother's Recipe... and they are the best cookies I have had in a long time. They are salty, yet sweet, and best of all...they are crispy! Oh ya, and they have oatmeal in them, which makes me think they can substitute for your breakfast! She wrote a great story about these cookies, so you should check it out. As for now.. I am sharing her recipe with all of you. I have made these cookies twice now, changed a few things from her recipe and I am pretty sure, that you can't go wrong with adding whatever you love to these tastey bites.
Enjoy!!

Salty, Crispy Oatmeal Cookies
adapted from Cook's Illustrated & Culinerapy

1 cup all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)..(I used a little less)
1 bar (3.5 ounces) good quality white chocolate, or a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt


1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.

2. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars at medium-low speed until just combined. Increase speed to medium and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. Add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl again. With mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated and smooth, 10 seconds. With mixer still running on low, gradually add oats and chocolate and mix until well incorporated, 20 seconds. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.

3. Divide dough into 24 equal portions, each about 2 tablespoons, then roll between palms into balls. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 1/2 inches apart, 8 dough balls per sheet. Using fingertips, gently press each dough ball to 3/4-inch thickness. Lightly sprinkle sea salt evenly over flattened dough balls before baking. They will spread and flatten quite a bit during baking.


4. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are deep golden brown, 13 to 16 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely on sheet.