I was looking at my roommate’s instant oatmeal flavours over the weekend, and it struck me that maple and oatmeal might combine well into a cookie, so that is what I set out to do this week. I think that using a grade B syrup may be better in this case, because it will give the cookies a heartier flavours; unfortunately, I was not able to find this at my local grocery store, and I did not feel like walking to Whole Foods because I was in my pajamas, and it was cold. I was also unsuccessfully looking for maple extract. I thought that maybe if I cooked some syrup down, it would thicken and I could add that. This was a bad idea. It made maple candy, which then temporarily glued my jaws shut.
The final product was quite pleasing. It is crispy on the outside, but chewy on the inside. I used spiced pecans, which I made myself, but as long as you toast whatever nuts you use (if you choose to use them), these will be tasty!
Maple Oatmeal Cookies
1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c butter, at room temperature
1/3 c brown sugar
1/3 c maple syrup, at room temperature
1 egg, at room temperature
1 c rolled oats
1/2 c coarsely chopped nuts (see recipe for spiced nuts below)
1. Preheat oven to 375oF and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter with the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the maple syrup and egg and beat until well mixed. (This will create a slightly soupy mixture).
3. Slowly beat in the dry-ingredient mixture until just blended, then stir in the nuts.
4. Drop by tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1″ of space between rounds. Bake for about 10-12 mins, until golden. Cool 10 minutes on baking sheets and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Spiced Nuts
2 c nuts (you can really use any variation – I love pecans, though!)
2 tbs butter
2-3 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs water
Any combination of spices to taste (I used 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1 tsp cinnamon)
1. Heat the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat and toast until they become fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Put the butter, brown sugar, water and spices in the skillet and cook until a glaze forms, about 1 minute. Return the nuts to the skillet and stir to coat with the glaze. Cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes, until the nuts are thoroughly glazed.
3. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper and let cool for 10 minutes, or until the glaze hardens.
