On a whim, I decided to make cookies. Although I had been thinking about it for the past couple of weeks, ever since I bought a giant container of organic rolled oats on sale, it wasn’t until I smelled something yummy baking in my area that I took action. It also helped that, for once, I had the key ingredients. After much careful perusing of various cookbooks, I chose to make Caramel Oatmeal Lace Cookies from Something Sweet by Jack Bishop.
I have had this cookbook twenty-six years, but this was my first time making this recipe. Jack Bishop’s description–“These candy-like cookies are chewy, crunchy, crisp, and altogether delectable”–enticed me. He also remarked that the time to put everything together would be minimal. His recipe called for parchment paper, which he said could not be substituted. I will note that I had none and substituted a buttered cookie sheet. His recipe promised 24 large cookies. I created nine large ones. Nine=twenty-four is the new math.
Ingredients: 12 tbs. unsalted butter, 1 1/2 rolled oats, 3/4 sugar, 2 tbs. flour (I used buckwheat), 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. vanilla (I used a little extra), 1 large egg (I also used 1 tbs. almond butter, 1/4 cup raisins, and a pinch each of cinnamon and ginger).
Heat oven to 325*. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Melt butter in a large saucepan (I used a small one). Remove from heat and stir in oats, sugar, flour, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix well with a spoon. Stir in egg.
Drop batter by the tablespoon onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving at least 2 1/2 inches (I didn’t measure) between cookies.
Bake until edges become golden brown, about 13 minutes (when I took it out then, it was still gooey in the center, so I baked it a few more minutes, plus left it in the still warm, but turned off, oven a little longer). Carefully slide parchment from pan to rack and give cookies 2 to 3 minutes to harden before transferring directly to rack.
Despite deviating a little here, a little there, my cookies, which I sampled from the northeast and southwest locations, turned out just as he described–“candy-like…, chewy, crunchy, crisp, and altogether delectable.” In addition, I couldn’t help but notice that as I typed this, I saw the banner at the bottom of my screen that said: “Our websites and dashboards use cookies.” I promise you my cookies will taste much, much better.
Notes from the cupcake rescue league 
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