Happily Ever After

Oops, I did it again.

I went weeks, plural, without posting. Not that you noticed, probably (unless you’re the very loyal boyfriend sort of reader), because you had lovely, tipsy holiday parties to attend, gooey-sugary-chocolaty-nutty Christmas cookies to bake, and shimmery-shiny-comes-in-a-little-black-box presents to buy/stress out about.

I was at that place again, facilitating a lot of these activities—arranging cookie platters, dusting endless loaves of gingerbread and stollen, and wrapping them all up in oversize bows—and not getting a lot of sleep. Laid up as I am now, however, with the inevitable consequences of being overworked with lots of sniffly coworkers, I am 1) willing myself to feel better for a NYE weekend with college friends and boyfriend in NYC and 2) finally getting around to posting. So here goes.

Every blogger seems to need to have a “the-only-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe-you’ll-ever-need” post.

I call it Brown Sugar No. 3

But folks, I have commitment problems when it comes to chocolate chip cookies. Maida Heatter’s Chocolate Chip Honey Cookies and I have been going steady for a while—they’re just so easy to make, and they fill the house with such a wonderful clover perfume. But I had a couple of dates with a Washington Post recipe a few years back, and I even had a one-batch-stand with the NYT’s self-titled Perfect Chocolate Chip cookies, engineered by Jacques Torres and rigorously tested by the discerning likes of the Dining Section.

Then there are the oatmeal-ed contestants. My first love will always be my grandmother’s take on the classic Tollhouse recipe (with Crisco, not butter!), which my father faithfully makes for office potlucks and on rainy days. Then, there are the chocolate-cherry-oatmeal cookies I adore, the confection of the mother of one of my dearest college friends. Jan’s cookies always have a wonderful chewy quality I’ve never been able to replicate in my own kitchen, though I’ve tried multiple times. Finally, there are the cookies that I sneak chunks of at the bakery—nutty, chewy little numbers that still manage to stay soft days after baking due to their unconscionable butter content (but they have whole wheat, which pretty much cancels out the butter, right?).

Amidst all these wonderful recipes, I can’t believe I’m about to tell you that I think I have finally found THE ONE. The cooky I can spend the rest of my days with. I want to crow from the rooftops that I have found a cooky with all the sweetness of mood enhancing chocolate, the faithfulness and staying power of oatmeal and whole wheat, the chewiness and pseudo-healthiness of raisins and the intoxicating spice of banana bread. Yup, this is one tough cookie to beat. You know it’s true, because the title has the word “badass” in it. Yes ma’am.

Lauren’s Badass Trailmix Cookies

From Anna Thomas’s Love Soup (Jules ftw, again)

Makes about 4 ½ dozen cookies

¾ c. unbleached white flour

1 c. whole wheat flour (this isn’t just a ploy at healthfulness—the nutty flavor and toothsomeness of the whole wheat really ratchets these cookies up a notch!)

¾ tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg (freshly ground is always more delicious—and the actual nutmeg holds its flavor much better than the preground stuff)

½ tsp. salt

¼ c. white sugar

1 ½ c. packed brown sugar (I used a combination of light and dark)

2 large eggs

1 ripe banana, mashed

2 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

3 ½ c. rolled oats

1 c. raisins (or cranberries, or cherries, or apricots….)

¾ c. chopped walnuts (I used pecans, because I already had toasted, chopped ones lying around)

¾ c. (or more) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with parchment (This isn’t just baking fussiness—it makes your life easier, because the cookies won’t stick and the sheets won’t need washing, generally.)

Whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the white and brown sugars until it looks fluffy, then beat in the eggs, mashed banana (you should have at least a ½ c.) and vanilla extract.

Stir or beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture until well combined, but do not overbeat. Stir in the oats, raisins, chopped nuts and chocolate, until everything is well mixed.

Scoop up rounded tablespoons of the dough and use a second spoon to push them off onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. (Or scoop the dough and shape it into a ball with damp fingers.) Leave at least two inches space between cookies. Bake the cookies for 16-18 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges—reverse the position of the pans halfway through.

Transfer the cookies to a rack while they are still warm and allow them to cool.

P.S. I apologize for the lack of finished cookie pictures. I couldn't get one that did them justice, and I didn't want you to think any less of these beauties for my lack of photographical prowess.