The children have been back at school for more than a month now, and we are finally getting into a routine. It is all a bit bewildering for me those first few weeks, trying to get back in the rhythm of the school year again. But Chloe is now quite happily settling into kindergarten and comes home each day singing songs she has learned. Olivia just became a patrol, and could not be more enthusiastic. For the last couple of days, she has had Chloe and Oscar dressed, teeth brushed, and ready for breakfast more than an hour before they needed to leave for school because she wanted to get there early and begin patroling. Oscar, too, seems to be settling comfortably into his second year. I learned today that his butterfly was "fourth out of the first five" out of the chrysalis. Very exciting stuff.
When they get home from school, I want them to be greeted by the feeling of home. In the world of food, nothing does that better than milk and cookies. The cookies should be homemade, of course, and the smell of them baking should waft through the door as they walk thorough it. I'd be there to greet them in a frilly apron, with a set of pumps and a string of pearls, cookies and milk loaded onto a silver tray. . . Okay, I'm getting a bit carried away, but there is something very traditional and homey in a 1950s kind of way about milk and cookies.
Of course, cookies aren't the healthiest snack so I prefer to make them an occasional treat rather than an everyday snack. But I also thought it would be good to develop a healthier version that would be a bit more nutritious and stick with them until dinner. This recipe is my attempt to accomplish that.
Oatmeal replaces some of the flour and whole wheat pastry flour, which adds a whole grain without the heaviness of regular whole wheat flour, replaces the rest. It has less butter and sugar and fewer chocolate chips than most recipes. I also added an extra egg to compensate for the reduction in butter on the theory that eggs are healthier because they have more protein. The nuts are optional, but if your children eat them, load them in because they too are filled with healthy protein.
Presto chango and now that classic cookie snack is something I feel better about giving them regularly. The cookie is soft and cakey, with a touch of chewiness from the oatmeal. They are similar enough to a regular chocolate chip cookie that the children love them, especially dipped into a glass of cold milk.
And after the children are in bed, the dishes are done, and the house is quiet, they make a tasty treat for the adults, too.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip After School Cookies
The dough for the cookies can be frozen. If you're very organized, you could form it into tablespoons and freeze them on a cookie sheet. When they harden, put them in a freezer bag to store them. When you want to cook them, just pop them on the sheet. They may need a couple of extra minutes to cook. Otherwise, you can just freeze the dough in a storage container or freezer bag. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before cooking.
1 cup oatmeal
1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large eggs
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)
In a small bowl, whisk together the oatmeal, pastry flour, baking soda, and salt, and set aside. Melt the butter. Meanwhile, measure the brown and granulated sugars into a large bowl. When the butter has melted, whisk it into the sugars. Add the vanilla and eggs. Stir in the flour mixture. Add the chocolate chips and nuts, if you are using them, and mix them into the dough.
Chill the dough for at least an hour and as long as a few days. When you are ready to bake the cookies, adjust the oven racks to the upper and lower third of the oven. Preheat to 375 degrees. Arrange the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet by rounded tablespoons, leaving a couple of inches between cookies. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until the cookies are golden brown.
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