You know how I always freak out about baking? Well, I’ve really been making a concerted effort to try more baking, because doing something frequently usually tends to mean you get better at it. For the most part, I have gotten better at baking, especially my arch-nemesis: rolling out dough. I’ve really gotten better at that and am starting to get good at knowing when dough needs moisture or more flour, just by looks and a little feel. But there is none of that in this recipe.
This recipe is SO EASY a child could do it. I had a crazy, busy week and I was in a bit of a mood after work. I figured I’d bake, using this very easy recipe, and unwind. Cooking totally puts my mind at ease after crazy days, baking should be the same, right…RIGHT? Well, the cookies turned out great, but after a little baking nightmare, lol. As I mentioned, the week was crazy and I was still in GO mode. So, I tried saving some time and baked these cookies on two tray instead of waiting and using a third tray. All the cookies pretty much ran together and I had to carefully use a biscuit cutter to make the rounds…AFTER they had baked. So, learn from me and don’t do that and make these crispy, lacey, caramel-y, brittle-y, yummy cookies; and I swear they are easy to make- it’s just me.
Oatmeal Lace Cookies
from Cook’s Illustrated, Cook’s Country
½ cup Old Fashioned Quaker Oats (or your favorite oatmeal)
½ stick butter
6 tbsp light brown sugar
¼ cup dark corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup AP flour
1.5 tsp heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, with racks in the upper and lower third slots, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Place the oats into a mini-prep and pulse about 6 times to break up the oats slightly.
Meanwhile, place the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, give a brief whisk and add the remaining ingredients (including pulsed oats) and a pinch of salt. Whisk until combined.
Using a teaspoon-sized measuring spoon, portion out 6 small dollops of the prepared cookie batter on each baking sheet, leaving plenty of room for expansion.
Place in the oven and bake for about 8 minutes, rotating and turning the baking sheets half-way through, until the cookies are golden and no longer bubbling.
Transfer the baked cookies, still on the parchment paper, to cooling racks and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, add more parchment to the baking sheets, portion out more cookies and repeat the baking/cooling process.
Once the cookies have cooled, carefully pull away from the parchment paper, and serve. Store the cookies in an airtight container for a day or two if making ahead.
______________________________ Copyright 2022, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
Comments