Tasting Journal

Valentine Day Cookies

I love baking cookies. I used to bake all the time, but lately I’ve been so busy that I haven’t even been able to step foot near a kitchen, let alone carve out time to bake. In honor of Valentine’s Day however, I decided to set aside some time to bake some cookies for Nick, and for my cousin Janine. I had to have them ready and shipped by Saturday (Nick lives in California, and Janine lives in NY) so that they’d be there in time for Valentine’s Day.

I made two different types of cookies: Oatmeal Raisin and White Chocolate Chip with Macadamia Nuts. I actually make Oatmeal Raisin cookies often. They’re one of Nick’s favorites. Here’s the recipe: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. It’s a simple recipe. It always turns out perfect, and it’s not too sweet.

This was my first time making White Chocolate Chip cookies with Macadamia Nuts. I used eat these all the time; my mother would buy them from the little Mrs. Field’s cookie stand every time we went to the mall. This recipe was actually taken from Carole Walter's book, Great Cookies. Nick’s mom got me this book for Christmas, and I love it because it is full of wonderful baking tips and cookie secrets!

White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
¾ cup of lightly packed brown sugar
½ cup of quick oatmeal
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1 ¾ cup of all purpose flour
½ teaspoon of baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups of white chocolate chips
1 ½ cups coarsely chopped macadamia nuts

DIRECTIONS:
1. Position the shelves in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place the brown sugar, oatmeal, and granulated sugar in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process 2 ½ to 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to pulse. The oatmeal must be very finely ground.

3. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, mix butter and corn syrup. Then add in oatmeal-sugar mixture.

5. Add in the egg and vanilla, and beat for 1 minute.

6. Then add in the remaining dry ingredients.

7. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the white chocolate and macadamia nuts.

8. Drop 1 ½ -inch mounds of dough from the tip of the tablespoon on the to a greased cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart.

9. Bake cookies 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

Makes about 40 cookies

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