Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 ¼ cups of lightly packed very fresh light brown sugar
½ cup quick (1-minute) oatmeal
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, slightly firmed
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 ounces fine-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into ¼ to ½-inch pieces, or 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 ½ cups coarsely chopped walnuts (I don’t usually add this)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375° and lightly butter cookie sheets.

2. Place the brown sugar and oatmeal in the work bowl of a food processor, and process for 2 ½ to 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to pulse. The oatmeal must be very finely ground.

3. In a medium bowl, strain together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, mix the butter and corn syrup together on medium to low speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.

5. Add the oatmeal-sugar mixture in three additions and beat for 2 minutes.

6. Add the eggs one at a time in 30-second intervals, and then add the vanilla and mix for one minute longer.

7. Reduce mixer speed to low, add the dry ingredients one-half at a time, and mix just until blended.

8. Using a large spatula, fold in the chocolate pieces and walnuts.

9. Drop mounds of dough, about the size of a large walnut, from the tip of a tablespoon onto cookie sheets.

10. Bake the cookies for 8-9 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn a golden brown.

11. Remove cookies from oven and let stand for 2 minutes.

Makes about 4 ½ dozen 3 ½-inch cookies

Adapted from Carole Water’s Great Cookies

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