New York is freezing this week, and in response to my climate app, your entire northern hemisphere is one chilly blue blob. If there have been ever a time for a baking mission, it’s now. And we now have simply the factor…
Melina Hammer’s oat lace cookies.
I’ve at all times beloved oatmeal lace cookies however assumed they had been too difficult to make myself. Something that delicate and caramel-y needed to be sophisticated, proper? Flawed.
“They’re tremendous straightforward!” swears Melina Hammer, cookbook creator and author of the publication Tales from Catbird Cottage. “No matter your schedule, there’s room in it to make this cookie.” I can personally affirm the recipe’s doability, having made a batch this previous Monday — aka, 72 hours into a protracted weekend, together with my six-year-old who’d been cooped up with two boring, working mother and father all day. A extra concerned recipe might’ve resulted in tears and flour throughout my keyboard, however these had been so fast and scrumptious that I virtually made a second batch proper then and there.
Melina’s recipe requires a number of grinds of cracked pepper — so as to add slightly complexity and zing to the simple sweetness — however she notes that there are numerous methods to riff. “You could possibly use your favourite chili powder, or you would strive a teaspoon of finely grated orange zest, minced candied ginger, or toasted sesame seeds.” I’m trying ahead to taking part in round with these additions, however for now, I’m enamored with the unique recipe. Right here it’s:
Oat Lace Cookies
by Melina Hammer
Makes 24
3 tbsp salted butter
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp slivered almonds
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 small egg
1/4 cup cane sugar
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 350F. Add the butter, oats, and almonds to a small saucepan set over medium-low warmth. Soften the butter, agitating the pan to include it into the combination. Add the freshly floor pepper and stir all collectively.
Because the butter melts, whisk the egg and sugar in a medium bowl till pale. Add the honey and vanilla, and whisk to include. Add the butter-oat combination to the crushed sugar and egg, then the kosher salt, baking powder, and flour. Stir collectively till uniform.
Place teaspoon-sized parts onto parchment-lined sheet pans, retaining 2 inches between every mound to account for spreading as they bake. You possibly can rise up to 12 cookies on a sheet at one time. Bake for 8 minutes or till pale golden on the heart and caramelized golden across the edge.
Professional tip from Melina: “Because the batter spreads whereas baking, cookie shapes can go slightly wonky. I like to drag them out across the 6-minute mark — once they’ve unfold, however not totally caramelized — and nudge them again into spherical shapes, utilizing a silicone spatula (be conscious to not contact the recent pan). Return them to the oven to bake for the final couple minutes to get them caramelized, and voilà, you’ve gotten beautiful cookies!”
Permit them to chill on the sheet pan for 5-7 minutes, till they free simply with a spatula. Retailer cookies in a parchment-lined sealed container on the counter, as much as 5 days.
Melina Hammer is a chef, meals stylist, recipe developer, and the award-winning creator of A 12 months at Catbird Cottage. Her recipes have appeared on Bon Appétit, Food52, Cooking Gentle, and Edible. You possibly can observe her publication, Tales from Catbird Cottage, when you’d like.
Thanks a lot, Melina! Anybody else in a baking temper this week? What are we making?
P.S. Three-ingredient butter cookies, monster cookies, and morning cookies for the backpack. Plus, Toby’s cookies that blew us all away.
(Images courtesy of Melina Hammer.)
