The Very Best Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

If you can't tell by now, I'm always on the hunt for a really really really good Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. Dr. Sweetpea has a huge sweet tooth but Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are his absolute favorite. I usually back a big batch once a month for him. I found this recipe while browsing around on the Cooking Channel's website and I knew I had to make these the second read the recipe. The secret to making these cookies super tender??? Melting the butter!!! It sounds crazy but it totally works, trust me! Dr. Sweetpea went nuts over these little gems and said nothing can top these!

Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Source: Cooking Channel)

1 cup butter

1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 cup uncooked rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup chocolate chips

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until melted. Remove from the heat. Add the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar and stir until sugars are incorporated and smooth. Chill the mixture for 10 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and stir in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Add the flour, oats, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cinnamon and mix together. Stir in the white chocolate chips and chocolate chips. Roll by hand into 24 medium-size balls or use a scoop, and place on a light-colored cookie sheet. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and bake for 12 to 14 minutes.

Marzipan Cookies

Ok, so I have a confession to make...I woke up earlier this morning so I can post about these phenomenal cookies before I head off to work in a little bit. I'm feeling a little frazzled because I'm making coffee, picking out my clothes, and doing my hair and makeup while trying to finish this post. These cookies are SOOOOOO good that I couldn't even wait until I get home after work to share this fantastic recipe with my readers.

These cookies are a must try if you're a huge fan of almonds like I am...perfectly almondy (is that a word?), crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and simply irresistible. I absolutely highly recommend you go to the grocery store today to bake these little gems.

Marzipan Cookies

(Source: Field to Fork Restaurant)

14 ounces almond paste*

1 cup sugar**

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup egg whites (2 eggs)

1 1/2 cups sliced almonds

Powdered sugar for garnish

Warm the almond paste in the microwave until pliable, 1 to 2 minutes. Cool slightly if needed, then break up into small pieces and put in a food processor. Add sugar, salt and egg whites and process until smooth. Pour almonds into a large, shallow bowl. Lightly oil or water your hands. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then drop in the plate of almonds and roll to coat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set cookies on parchment-lined cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Cookies will spread just slightly. Bake in preheated oven 12 to 16 minutes or until light golden on top and just browned on the bottom. Remove from oven and cool, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

* I used 2 (8 oz) cans of almond paste. Also, do not use almond cake and pastry filling. 

** I think the next time I make these cookies, I'll cut the sugar down to 3/4 cup since the almond paste is already a little on the sweet side. 

Almond Crunch Cookies

Do you have a cookie recipe that has been used so many times over the years that the newspaper clipping is tattered, wrinkled, and about ready to fall apart??? I DO!!! When I was a child, my mom found this Almond Crunch Cookie recipe in a newspaper column and made it yearly for Christmas Cookies. This newspaper recipe has been used sooooo many times that the edges are held together by scotch tape. I firmly believe if a newspaper clipping or index card recipe has blotches, rips, tape and splatters collected over the years...it's a recipe for something absolutely amazing.

I have fond memories of sitting next to my mom at the kitchen table and rolling the dough into balls and then rolling them in slivered almonds. After the cookies were baked my mom would make an incredibly rich cup of Hot Cocoa to go along with the cookies. Nothing beats drinking hot cocoa to wash down the cookies when it's snowing outside in December. I know my childhood years in the kitchen with my mom were so special to me and the reason why I'm so passionate about baking.

So why am I making these cookies in April?!?! Well, these cookies are just toooooooooo good to make once a year. Plus, I couldn't wait until December to eat these again :o)  If you love almonds, these cookies are absolutely sinfully delicious. 

Almond Crunch Cookies 

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup almonds, ground in blender or food processor

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer just until blended. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add egg and almond extract. Beat at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. On low speed, add ground almonds and flour. Mix just until blended. Do not overmix. If necessary, refrigerate dough 30 minutes or until firm enough to shape. Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll in sliced almonds, coating balls thoroughly. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until cookies are slightly brown around edges. Immediately transfer with a broad spatula to a cool, flat surface covered with wax paper, let cool. 

Glaze:

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup (6 oz.) chocolate chips

2 teaspoons light corn syrup

Scald cream in small saucepan and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips and corn syrup. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Gently mix glaze until smooth, careful not to introduce too much air into the chocolate. When cookies are cool, drizzle or dip the cookies while glaze is warm. Refrigerate on waxed paper until glaze has set, about 10 minutes.