bakin' and eggs

Last week Charlotte was hit with a heavy dose of winter weather. In the South, this brings your daily routine to a screeching halt. I found myself unable to navigate my way anywhere but into the kitchen. Given the fact that I tend to keep myself insanely busy and overcommited, I have to admit that it was nice to be forced to slow down.

Instead of working late and hitting the gym, I baked cookies and made a big batch of chili. I tend to always make the same cookies – chocolate chip, oatmeal chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin. I wanted to make something new that I hadn’t baked or blogged about before. I browsed through my favorite go-to cookbook, The Gourmet Cookbook, and decided to try the Oatmeal Trail Mix Cookies. Brandon was not on board with the raisins that the recipe called for, I wasn’t on board with the shortening and I didn’t have peanuts so I made a few substitutions to the original recipe.

Despite the substitutions, these cookies turned out great. One thing I was surprised to discover is that these needed to bake a little longer. I usually under bake cookies but that was not the case with this recipe. I under baked my first batch and the texture just wasn’t right. I baked the second batch a little longer and they were right on. Also, I liked these better cool than hot out of the oven. Usually we love warm cookies, and these were plenty good warm, but even more outstanding once they’d cooled.

These Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect way to put a different twist on the traditional chocolate chip or oatmeal cookie recipe.

One Year Ago: Overnight Baked French Toast
Two Years Ago: Penne a la Betsy

Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Recipe adapted from Gourmet)

Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
6-ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together on medium high speed. Beat in the egg, baking soda mixture, flour, salt and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and mix in oats, coconut, chocolate chips and pecans.

Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto greased baking sheets about 4 inches apart and with a fork flatten and spread each mound into a round, about 3 inches in diameter.

Bake the cookies in batches in the middle oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are golden. Transfer to racks and let cool.

Yield: about 30 cookies