So what do you do with a snow day? Bake of course!

I did lots and lots of baking during Snowmageddon 2010. Rolls and breads were flying out of my kitchen Friday afternoon like nobody’s business. But then Saturday rolled around, and the propsect of shoveling loomed. As I mentioned earlier, Noel stayed up late on Friday night to shovel the initial rounds, so Saturday it was my turn. As I watched the snow pile up, my nerves rose. How would I ever clear all of it? It looked like Noel hadn’t even shoveled before! Would I get lost in a snowbank somewhere?

I needed a motivator to get out there and get digging. And then it hit me. Cookies! And not just any cookies, but hearty oatmeal cookies, which I had been craving since Christmas (they were sadly cut from my cookie list last year). Something that would help me to replenish my strength after all of that snow heaving. With cookies on the brain I headed out, shoveled away, and then even went for a long walk around the neighborhood to take pictures and check out the conditions. And then I came in and made cookies and took a nap–a perfect way to end the day!

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies
Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cookies

I chose this recipe because it makes oatmeal cookies just like I like them–nice and simple. I halved the recipe, because I didn’t really need to be snowed in with the 6 dozen cookies it makes and I substituted wheat flour for the wheat germ and some of the all purpose flour. I also used golden raisins instead of regular raisins, simply because they were what I had in the pantry, and boy did they meld wonderfully into these cookies. A pinch of cloves in the mix also gave these cookies a little extra kick. Enjoy them with hot tea or cocoa on your next snow day!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of ground cloves
• 3/4 cup golden raisins

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment or slipmat.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. This will get your butter really light and fluffy, which gives these cookies a nice lift. Add egg and mix well, then mix in vanilla.

Combine oats, both flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and beat on low speed to combine. Add raisins and mix until just combined.

Using a cookies scoop, drop dough onto prepared sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden and just set, about 14 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack until cooled completely. Store in an airtight container for up to three days (if they last that long!).

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