These are some of the best tasting oatmeal cookies out there. They bake up thin and chewy with wonderful flavor from the cinnamon, nutmeg and, of course, the sprinkling of sea salt. Add some chocolate chips to some of the dough if you can’t resist.

Chewy Salted Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
2 cups flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 oz unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
Flaky sea salt, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the oats with the flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with both sugars and the vanilla at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

4. Add the eggs to the butter mixture, 1 at a time, and beat until incorporated.

5. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cookie dough until chilled, at least 1 hour.

6. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

7. Working in 2 batches, using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop or two tablespoons, scoop the dough onto the prepared sheets, spaced at least 2 inches apart. Flatten the cookies slightly and sprinkle each with a pinch of sea salt.

8. Bake for 10 minutes, until cookies are golden brown at the edges, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking.

9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. To make ahead,
store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Makes 3.5 dozen cookies

Recipe from Food & Wine Magazine

Yes, I’ve got American Opera on the stereo. Not some shrill soprano, though. It’s the project of NYC-based musician John Bee who says “I sing songs about singing songs”.

He had me at ‘I sing’.

There is so much going on in “Sand & Seed”. Lush instrumentation, awesome lyrics and that terrific, soulful voice.

“Maybe the songs I sing are so I remember what life brings,
Life sings its songs to me so I am not afraid, yeah… ”

Check out American Opera on his Website where you can learn of upcoming US east coast tour dates and buy the music.

Cheers!