Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I arrived to work on Monday and there was a mysterious note left in each of our mailboxes signed by "The Cookie Monster." Yes, that big, blue lovable Sesame Street character was the alias of choice for a certain practical joker in our office. It left us all quite puzzled -- especially since in my office, if you mention sweets and then don't have any, people will look at you funny. And by funny I mean glare at you. So we still don't know who the particular jokester is . . . all I know is that it has had me thinking about cookies since 8:30 Monday morning.

Knowing I had leftover raisins and walnuts from the chicken salad made last week, the heavens shined down on me when I found this recipe. A semi-healthy (it doesn't have chocolate or that much sugar -- therefore it is semi-healthy) cookie that involves ingredients for which I do not need to go to the store? Sign me up! I cheated a little in the ingredient department -- using dark brown sugar instead of light and using quick oats instead of rolled. Nevertheless, they were delicious and filling and now I can serve as the real cookie monster tomorrow morning at work when I tote these puppies in! You are welcome colleagues.

Even the dough looks delicious.

This may or may not be my breakfast in the morning . . .

Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Adapted from - Who Else

1 stick butter, softened

2/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups quick oats

3/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Stir this into the butter/sugar mixture. Stir in the oats, raisins and walnuts, if using them. Chill the dough for at least one hour.

Spoon cookies two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes, taking them out when golden at the edges but still a little undercooked looking on top. Let them cool on the sheets for five minutes before transferring them.