Cookie of the Month - September

Our take on Emeril Lagasses's

Kicked Up Oatmeal Cookies

These could easily be our new favorite cookie - my changes are noted -

Ingredients

• 1 cup raisins [I used dried cherries instead, cut into thirds or fourths]
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour [I used self-rising and deleted the baking powder & salt]
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant or old-fashioned)
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans [I used walnuts]
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets and set aside.
Place the raisins in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit until plump and moist, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and eggs, and beat to combine.
Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir into the butter mixture, and add the buttermilk, stirring to mix. Fold in the oatmeal, raisins, nuts, and chips, blending well. [We like our cookie to be a little more 'full' so I refrigerated the dough for a few hours before cooking.]
Drop the dough onto the baking sheets by rounded tablespoons, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool.