Apricots and White Chocolate, Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

Apricots and White Chocolate, Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal cookies. Just about any way you dress them, they make you feel like you’re eating wholesome goodness just because it has “oats” in it. The pairing of the slight tang of the dried apricots with the subtle sweetness of white chocolate chips makes for a tasty combination in this oatmeal cookie classic.

Apricots and White Chocolate, Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

The dried apricots in these cookies look like jewels! Baking recipes that catch my eye are those that incorporate using fruits or vegetables. When I happened upon a recipe that used dried peaches in the ingredients I was sold! Doesn’t that sound fantastic – peaches in cookies? No problem, right? Wrong. Maybe it’s a regional thing, but I could not find dried peaches anywhere in my little part of the world. Apricots…not a problem. So instead, apricots were substituted in this recipe and it’s proven to be a good replacement.

Apricots and White Chocolate, Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

It’s been so warm these days, who really wants to turn on the oven? I whipped the cookie dough up one evening, refrigerated overnight and baked early the next morning. Much easier to work with most cookie doughs when it’s been refrigerated.

The original baking time for this recipe was 15-17 minutes, which was off in my baking time of 10-12 minutes. I’ve substituted some whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour and think next time, I may even try using some almond flour instead of the whole wheat.

This was a good recipe and a tasty change from using semi-sweet, milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips and using dried apricots where I probably would’ve used raisins.

On a side note…

I thought about adding some silly images here, but then thought better of it. It has to do with the tall stacked cookie image. There was some fun with it in that as I’d stack the cookies, all would be well when as I’m clicking away and making camera adjustments….TIMBER (you guessed it, several topples)! Even managed to capture images of it mimicking the Leaning Tower of Pisa (Torre pendente di Pisa) and defying all gravity sense. These were my hero cookies and I was glad with all the topples, none of the cookies chipped or broke. Gotta love food photography, right? 🙂

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Apricots and White Chocolate, Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
•  
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
•  
• 1 egg
•  
• 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
• ½ cup chopped dried apricots
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup white chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with a silicon baking sheet, parchment paper or use nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, whisk flours, baking soda and salt. If using a stand mixer, fit with paddle attachment and cream the butter, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and mix on low only until incorporated. Add the flour mixture, oats, dried apricots, walnuts and white chocolate chips and mix until ingredients are well combined.
4. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to measure out 24 balls and place on baking sheets, spaced about 2-inches. Slightly flatten each dough ball with the palm of your hands (wet the palm of your hands with water for easy handling).
5. Bake cookies until golden, rotating pan about half-way through baking time, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest on baking sheets at least a minute before transferring cookies to a cooling rack.
6. Store cookies in an airtight container.© Images & content: Cristina A-Moore for TeenieCakes.com.

Teenie Notes

• You can substitute out the whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour.
• Watch baking time as it may vary from 10-14 minutes.

Cristina A-Moore | Teenie Cakes

 

recipe modified from Sunny Anderson for Food Network Magazine