What's in the Pantry Cookies

You're probably familiar with the saying, your eyes are bigger than your stomach. It seems my baking purchases are bigger than the time I have to bake. I'm hopelessly optimistic about how much I can get done. At Christmas, I had several things planned that were never baked.

So each time I open the pantry, the ingredients taunt me. I need to use them before they go bad! Today I did. I had dried cherries (so yummy!), leftover dried apricots, and so many bags of chocolate chips. Yikes! And then there's the extra bag of light brown sugar, too.

I threw a lot of those items into the cookies. The cherries are lovely—sweet and chewy, like raisins. The chocolate chips are simply delish. You can add whatever you like to these cookies. Coconut, pecans, raisins, etc. I was thrilled to be creative and use up some of the goodies that were in the pantry.

Those who read my diva mysteries will find it amusing that I froze half of the unbaked dough so I can bake them later when I need cookies in a hurry.

Oatmeal and Dried Cherry Cookies

1 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon pink sea salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (a stick and a half)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal (not quick cooking)
1 1/2 cups dried fruit
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Cream the butter with the sugars for about two minutes. Add the egg and beat well. Add the vanilla and the corn syrup and beat. Mix in the flour a spoonful at a time, beating on low until it's incorporated. Add the oatmeal and beat briefly. Add the dried fruit and chocolate chips and beat on the lowest speed just to mix.

Spoon onto the prepared baking sheet keeping them an inch or two apart. Bake large cookies about 15 minutes and small cookies 12 minutes. Cool on a baking rack.

Mix the flour and dry ingredients.

Cream the sugar and butter.

The dough is very thick.

Make them whatever size you like.

Fresh from the oven.

Wrapped up unbaked dough that is now in the freezer.

 

 Coming in paperback tomorrow!!!