Cookie Hooky

I have always been a good girl.

I am your typical middle child...



the mediator...


the peacemaker...

the one who didn't rebel.

Once, though, I did play hooky from school.

Even as I write this, I know I have to reveal that I played hooky from school with permission from my parents. So, even when I wanted to be bad, I did so with authorization! Oh, well. Being the rebel is not my lot in life. I think I'm ok with that.

On this "hooky" day from school during my sophomore year in high school, I baked my first recipe from scratch by myself. I chose to bake Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies from the Kitchen Klatter cookbook, which remain my favorite cookies. Oats, brown sugar & chocolate...what could be better?

Well, today I decided to play hooky from my usual cookie. What can I say? Some of us rebel later in life.

And yet, again, I am not totally bad. This cookie is similar to my fave but a little healthier & with a few additions. I think even my teenage palate would have approved.

Loaded Oatmeal Cookies
(Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens, March 2009)

These cookies are super simple and come together very quickly.

One free hour will get you warm gooey treats that you will not feel quite as guilty about eating.

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt (I used kosher salt)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup rolled oats (I used extra-thick rolled oats)
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped (I used 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour. Stir in oats, flax seed meal, wheat germ, chocolate, cranberries, and walnuts (dough will be a little crumbly).

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. (I rolled some of the cookies in a cinnamon & sugar mixture I had leftover from snickerdoodles I made recently. A fun but not necessary step.) Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until tops are lightly browned. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Makes about 30 cookies.