Iced Oatmeal Cookies

It seems like a good time to share more cookie recipes. 😉

Before the holidays, I started receiving weekly cookie emails (I subscribed ) from The New York Times- a pretty dangerous and crazy idea! This “pantry cookie” recipe caught my eye right away. A crowd-pleaser for sure.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Jerrelle Guy. The recipe starts by creaming the sugar with eggs rather than butter. The end result is a cookie with a crusty exterior and chewy interior. Cracks also form on the surface which are highlighted by the essential glaze. Great.

Yield: 15 to 16 cookies

• 1 cup/95 grams old-fashioned rolled oats 
• 1 cup/128 grams all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup/100 grams granulated sugar 
• 1/4 packed cup/55 grams light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 4 T/57 grams unsalted butter, melted 
• 3/4 cup/92 grams confectioners’ sugar 
• 5 teaspoons whole or oat milk, plus more as needed 

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection, and line two large rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, combine the oats, flour and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat both sugars with the egg, cinnamon, vanilla and baking soda on high speed, scraping the bowl as needed, until glossy, pale and thick, a full 2 minutes.
4. Reduce the speed to medium. Very slowly drizzle in the melted butter and whisk until thoroughly incorporated.
5. Add the oat mixture and gently fold by hand using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula just until incorporated, being careful not to over mix.
6. Using a small cookie scoop or two spoons, drop 15 golf ball-size mounds of dough onto the sheet pan, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. (I used a 1 1/2 T cookie scoop.)
7. Bake until the edges and surface are set and lightly golden brown, but the center is still gooey, 10 to 11 minutes on convection or up to 12 to 14 minutes in a standard oven.
8. Remove from the oven and immediately rap the cookie sheet on the counter or stovetop a couple of times to help the cookies flatten a little more, and cool on the sheet for 5 minutes.
9. In a small bowl, mix the confectioners’ sugar and milk using a small whisk or fork until the icing is completely smooth and very thick but still moves if you tilt the bowl. Add more milk in small increments as needed. (I add the milk 1 teaspoon at a time to make sure the consistency is not too thin.)
10. Dip only the very tops of the cookies into the bowl of icing, leaving the deeper cracks in the cookies uncoated and allowing any excess icing to drip back into the bowl.
11. Flip the cookies over and return them to the cookie sheet to allow the icing to harden, 10 to 15 minutes. The iced cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

One additional note about special cookies….

My oldest just had his 17th birthday! He is DRIVING. We celebrated with several family favorites- enjoying Creamy Chicken and Greens with Roasted Poblano Tacos (first celebration), Thai One Pot (second!), a Maple Layer Cake, and, most importantly, with our traditional Number Cookies– two versions, Roman numerals are his preference. 🙂

Overnight Oatmeal-Buttermilk Pancakes

My husband absolutely loves the overnight buttermilk oat pancakes served at Main Road Biscuit Company on the North Fork of Long Island. We have tried a couple of versions to try to replicate them at home. Now I love them too! 🙂

This first version was adapted from Molly Wizenberg@Orangette.net, via Food52.com, contributed by Catherine Lamb. We used sea salt, butter instead of oil, and added vanilla extract as well as fresh strawberries and bananas. We ate them for breakfast on Mother’s Day as well as my husband’s birthday. Great.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 cups buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted and cooled (can substitute coconut oil or any oil of choice)
• oil or non-stick spray for greasing the pan or griddle
• fresh bananas and fresh or frozen strawberries, diced, optional
• nuts or chocolate chips, optional
• pure maple syrup, yogurt, berries, or bananas, for serving

1. The night before, mix the oats and buttermilk together in a large bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. If you’re feeling especially efficient, mix the dry ingredients in a smaller bowl and set aside on the counter. (a great plan!)
3. The next morning, take the oat mixture out of the fridge. If you haven’t already, mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk until incorporated.
4. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter (or oil) to the oat mixture, stir together, then add the dry ingredients. Mix until fully incorporated, but be careful not to overmix. Batter will be very thick.
5. Grease a griddle or large pan with and set it over medium-high heat. When you flick water at the skillet and it sizzles, it’s ready.
6. Ladle the batter onto the hot pan (I used a 1/3 cup measure, but feel free to adjust if you want larger or smaller pancakes). If desired, sprinkle on sliced bananas, berries (fresh or frozen), nuts, or chocolate chips. (I mixed both diced bananas and strawberries into the batter prior to placing on the griddle.)
7. When the top of the batter bubbles, the edges begin to set, and the bottom is bronzed, flip pancakes. They’re done when the underside is done and they don’t squish when pressed lightly with your finger. 
8. Serve with maple syrup or a dollop of yogurt and additional berries and/or banana slices, as desired. 

This second version was also wonderful. It is Swedish in origin. The original recipe suggests serving them with lingonberry jam instead of maple syrup.

The recipe was adapted from the former Tres Joli Bakery Café in Oakton, Virginia, via Bon Appétit and epicurious.com. I added frozen blueberries to the batter and served them drizzled with maple syrup.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats or quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• cooking oil spray or melted butter, for skillet or griddle
• pure maple syrup or lingonberry preserves, for serving
• fresh or frozen blueberries, optional
• whipped cream, for serving, optional

1. Combine the oats, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
2. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, 1/4 cup melted butter and vanilla in medium bowl.
3. Add to dry ingredients; whisk until blended but some small lumps still remain.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and let batter stand to thicken, about 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
5. Preheat oven to 250°F. (or set a warming drawer to medium)
6. Heat heavy large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Brush skillet with melted butter or coat with cooking oil spray.
7. Fold fresh or frozen blueberries into the prepared batter, if desired. (I added 1 cup of frozen blueberries.)
8. Working in batches, ladle batter by 1/4 to 1/3 cupfuls onto the pan. Cook pancakes until bottoms are golden brown and bubbles form on top, about 2 minutes. Turn pancakes over; cook until bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes.
9. Transfer cooked pancakes to a baking sheet or serving platter. Keep warm in oven or warming drawer.
10. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing skillet with more butter or cooking spray, as necessary.
11. Serve with lingonberry preserves or syrup, topped with fresh blueberries and/or whipped cream, as desired.

Applesauce Oatmeal Bread

This wholesome quick bread really caught my eye. I made it as a special after school snack for my kids (and me!). They enjoyed it with a glass of fresh apple cider. I thought it was absolutely perfect for breakfast with a cup of coffee.

The recipe was adapted from King Arthur Flour.com. I baked the loaf in a Pullman pan, used freshly ground allspice and freshly grated nutmeg, and substituted pecans for walnuts. Yum!

Yield: One standard or Pullman loaf

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla or boiled cider
• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup rolled oats, plus more for sprinkling top, optional
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• cream cheese, for serving, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, preferably on convection. Lightly grease a Pullman loaf pan or a standard 9″ x 5″ loaf pan. (I used cooking oil spray.)
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder and soda, and spices.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients.
5. Mix in the rolled oats, applesauce, and nuts.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
7. Sprinkle rolled oats over the top, as desired.
8. Bake the bread for 40 for a Pullman pan or up to 60 minutes in a standard loaf pan, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Remove the bread from the oven, and cool completely.
10. Store cooled bread, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.
11. Serve with cream cheese, or as desired.

One Year Ago:

• Whole Wheat English Muffins
• Oscar Night Waffles

Two Years Ago:

• Whole Wheat Banana Flaxseed Muffins
• Green Smoothies

Three Years Ago:

• Low-Fat Oat & Whole Wheat Buttermilk Waffles

Four Years Ago:

• Brown Sugar-Oatmeal “Sunshine” Muffins
• White House Honey-Oat Muffins

Oatmeal Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

It’s hard to beat a special summer breakfast loaded with fresh berries. Similar to the muffins in my last post, the whole wheat flour and oats in the batter make this special treat a substantial meal as well.

This recipe was adapted from New York Times, contributed by Martha Rose Schulman. I decreased the batter resting time and increased the amount of blueberries. Delicious!!

• ½ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup low-fat milk
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1. Combine the milk and rolled oats in a bowl, and set aside.
2. Whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the buttermilk and whisk together. Then whisk in the vanilla extract and the oil.
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and quickly whisk together. Do not overbeat; a few lumps are okay. Fold in the oats and milk. Let sit for one hour, or refrigerate overnight. (I let it sit for 30 minutes without a problem.)
5. If necessary, spray the hot griddle with pan spray. Drop by 3 to 4 tablespoons onto the hot griddle. Place six or seven blueberries on each pancake. Cook until bubbles begin to break through, two to three minutes. Turn and cook for about 30 seconds to a minute on the other side, or until nicely browned. Remove from the heat, and continue until all of the batter is used up.
6. Serve hot with a small amount of butter and maple syrup.

Note: Keep these, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for a few days, or freeze for up to a few months.

One Year Ago:

• Dori Sanders’ Blueberry Corn Muffins
• Whole Wheat Blueberry Scones

Two Years Ago:

• Oven-Baked Blueberry Pancake
• Easy Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Three Years Ago:

• Whole-Wheat Raspberry Scones

Banana Oat Muffins with Maple Syrup Drizzle

I have had this recipe from nancycreative.com bookmarked to try for a long time. I am always looking for new and tasty ways to enjoy my super-ripe bananas and the maple syrup drizzle in this recipe sounded absolutely delicious.

Ironically, when I assembled the muffins, I decided to top them with turbinado sugar prior to baking instead of using maple syrup. “What!?!?” you say? Well, you are not alone. It was a mistake… My entire family revolted. 😉 We enjoyed them immensely with both the turbinado sugar and the maple syrup!

As well as the additional sugar topping, I also adapted the original recipe to incorporate whole wheat flour and rolled oats. Great.

Yield: Makes 10 muffins

• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
• 3 T canola oil (or light olive oil)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• turbinado sugar, optional, for topping
• pure Maple Syrup, optional, for drizzling over muffins (about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per muffin)

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F, preferably on convection. Line a muffin pan with 10 (parchment) paper liners; set aside.
2. In large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
3. In medium bowl, mix mashed bananas, oil, egg, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract, blending well.
4. Add banana mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with turbinado sugar, if desired.
5. Bake at 375˚F for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let muffins cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire rack or serve warm.
6. Right before serving, lightly drizzle some maple syrup on top, if desired.

One Year Ago:

• Whole Wheat Cinnamon Sugar Blueberry Banana Bread
• Buckwheat, Banana, & Zucchini Muffins

Two Years Ago:

• Whole Wheat Banana Bread with Roasted Bananas

Three Years Ago:

• Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Whole Wheat Banana Streusel Muffins
• Whole Wheat Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins