RECIPE: THE BEST EVER OATMEAL COOKIE

I am a cookie snob. And I'm telling you... these are the BEST oatmeal cookies ever. I guess that's bragging, but I've gotta share the love with you! I've tried to copy them from my fav bakery, Wild Plum, in Pacific Grove, CA where my husband and I lived before moving to Nashville. I can't quite get the consistency the same, but the flavors are all there. In fact, every year we visit and if they don't have them out... I beg them to make a batch before I leave town. #fatkidalert

You can use any mix-ins you like with these oatmeal cookies! This is just a great base. I used bittersweet chocolate chips, dried apricots, and dried tart cherries. We just got back from Michigan where I get my favorite American Spoon dried cherries. They're SO. GOOD. I put them in cereal, hot oatmeal, spinach salad, kale salad, and now cookies. I'm very passionate about food, can ya tell? So I obviously needed to use these bad boys for the best oatmeal cookies ever.

Please make sure to note that you need to let the dough refrigerate for at least 2 hours. I know...torture. You can eat the dough in the meantime. The longer you leave the dough, the better the flavors will combine. 12 hours is great, 24 hours is better. If you bake after 1 or 2 hours they'll taste great but the dough will spread out pretty thin. I'll stop blabbing... scroll down for recipe!

RECIPE:

The Best Ever Oatmeal Cookie

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temp

3/4 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cups brown sugar

1 egg, room temp

1 tsp good vanilla

1 1/2 cups + 1/8 cup bread flour

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

fleur de sel / kosher salt

Optional mix-ins:

dried apricots, chopped

dried tart cherries

bittersweet chocolate chips

raisins

m&m's

(I use 1 cup apricots, 1/4 cherries, 1/4 chocolate chips)

Directions:

1. Mix together dry ingredients and mix-ins in a separate bowl. Set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugars for 5 minutes.

3. Add egg and mix until combined. Add vanilla.

4. Add dry ingredients until just mixed.

5. Press plastic wrap down directly on the dough then cover the bowl. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours 

(12-24 hrs is best for flavor and texture!)

6. Scoop 2" balls and pack firmly together*

7. Bake 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes until edges are browned and the tops are starting to brown.

8. Sprinkle tops with fleur de sel or kosher salt and let the cookies cool on the tray for 10 minutes.

Eaaaaaaat!

*Bake only what you want to eat at that time for the freshest experience! Dough keeps really well in the fridge for a week.

-L