Oatmeal Crunchies
Crunchy oatmeal cookies? Yes please!
Oatmeal Crunchies from Sweet Maria’s Cookie Jar Cookbook
Original headnote from Sweet Maria’s Cookie Jar: page 17
The finely chopped walnuts in this crunchy cookie make this an ideal treat. It’s one of the first cookies I learned to bake.
Recipe Renovation
Crispy cookies definitely have their own fans, but most times, people prefer chewy cookies. I do love a chewy oatmeal raisin but that’s a recipe for another time.
These crunchies definitely live up to their name. Fresh, finely chopped walnuts, additional sugar on top and baking until light golden all add to their crispness.
The original recipe was a bit too flat for me, and needed a bit more “chew”. It was easy to revise. I just reduced the baking soda in half.
Also, this recipe yields double the amount of the original recipe. It’s so hard to cream just a 1/4 pound ( 1 stick!) of butter with the sugars. Plus a larger cookie ( I used a small ice cream scoop instead of a teaspoon) and a higher yield is always a good idea!
OATMEAL CRUNCHIES
MAKES 40 COOKIES
1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Additional sugar for dipping the tops
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and walnuts. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer ( or with a hand mixer) cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until light. Add vanilla.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after adding each one.
Gradually add flour mixture and mix just until blended.
Using a small ice cream scooper portion dough. Roll tops into additional sugar. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, spacing each 3-inches apart. The cookies will spread.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.
Remove cookie sheet from the oven. Cool on wire cooling rack.
Store cookies in a cookie tin. Plastic bags or an airtight container will make the cookies soft.
Oatmeal Crunchies Original Recipe
Pepper Biscuits
Savory snacks always in season.
Pepper Biscuits from Sweet Maria’s Italian Cookie Tray
Original headnote from Sweet Maria’s Italian Cookie Tray (1992), page 100.
These black pepper biscuits are part of every Italian baker’s recipe box. To be sure they’re crunchy, brush them with oil just before baking.
Recipe Renovation
These are one of my favorite non-sweet snacks. Perfect for pre-meal snacking and as part of a salumi, olive and cheese plate. So many people call these biscuits by different names: frizzelle , tarralle , tarralucci…..they are crispy biscuits with a pop of fennel.
This variation from my original family recipe uses white wine and extra virgin olive oil. Be sure to roll into thin strips and bake until golden to capture the crunch.
PEPPER BISCUITS
MAKES ABOUT 60
3 eggs
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil ( plus additional for brushing the tops)
1 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons fennel seed
3 to 3 1/2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a small bowl combine 3 cups of flour and baking powder. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk eggs, wine, olive oil, salt and pepper until well blended. Add half the flour mixture and fennel seeds and whisk until blended. Stir in the rest of the flour mixture with a wooden spoon.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in any additional flour to make a soft, not-sticky dough. Let dough rest on countertop, covered for 15 minutes.
Roll dough into thin pencil size pieces, about 6 inches long. Form into rings, pressing to adhere ends together.
Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Using a pastry brush, brush tops of rings with additional olive oil.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool on parchment. Store biscuits at room temperature in a paper bag or cookie tin.