When the Weather is Frightful - Bake Cookies!

The 50th Kosher Cooking Carnival is up over at Me-Ander - go see lots of great food posts!

It's been really cold outside.

This is not a weather-rant post.

It's been really cold outside, and that gives me a yen to bake.

(Okay, some people would agree that perhaps I don't need an excuse.)

When my Vegetarian Times came last week, one recipe jumped out at me. I don't know why, but I had a desire to bake "Iced Oatmeal Cookies." Perhaps because the description said this: "To keep the icing for these chewy morsels from cracking, spread it on while the cookies are still hot."

Chewy Morsels?! Seriously!? I'm sold.

Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Slightly Adapted from Vegetarian Times

2 Tbs flaxseed meal
1 cup oat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbs butter, softened (the original recipe called for vegan margarine)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (I used cranberries. But I think I'll like them EVEN better with raisins)

for icing: 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 2 Tbs lemon juice

Stir together flaxseed meal and 3 Tbs water in small bowl. Set aside. Whisk together oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

Beat butter, and sugars together with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add applesauce, vanilla, and flaxseed mixture. Beat until smooth. Stir in oat flour mixture. Add oats and raisins, stir to combine. Cover and chill 2 hours (or overnight).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment. Roll the dough into golf-ball size rounds and put them 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Flatten each cookie to 1/4 inch thickness with bottom of a drinking glass dipped in water. Bake 10-12 minutes or until cookies look dry on top and just begin to brown.

While they're baking, make the icing: whisk together the sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth - it will be thick but spreadable. Gently brush on hot cookies with pastry brush. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Eat 'em warm, they're amazing.
Actually, eat them cooled and they're amazing too.

You can't eat just one! So delicious.

P.S. If you can get gluten-free oats, you can make your own oat flour by whizzing them in the blender. Then you can make this recipe gluten-free. If you're so inclined...or if you have a gluten-free lurker on your blog....