Fruit n Nut Oatmeal Cookies

I have been making these cookies for years.  It started as an experiment for a “Monster” cookie that included just about everything you can add to a cookie: candy, cookies, chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, and sprinkles!  One morning, I had only dried fruit and some pecans on hand.  The result was AMAZING!!  They were so good, I decided they could be a breakfast cookie!!  So, the cookies became my almost famous Fruit n Nut Oatmeal Cookies (AKA: The Breakfast Cookie). 🙂

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tbsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/9 tsp mace
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups quick oats
3/4 cup ANY dried fruit: cranberry, raisin, currant, apricot, you can also use a combination of the fruits.
3/4 cup chopped nuts – your choice (I use pecans most of the time)

NOTES: 

• You can substitute the allspice, cinnamon, & mace with an equal portion of pumpkin spice.
• You can substitute the vanilla extract with banana, rum, or orange extract instead.
• Instead of the dried fruit, you can use 1 cup of fresh chopped apple or mashed banana.
• You can use more than one nut or seed for this recipe: walnut, cashew, pistachio, almond, pumpkin seed, pepita, pine, etc.

Directions:

1. Place the oven rack in the middle slot of your oven.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and spices.
3. In another large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together.
4. Next, add in the brown sugar, beat until light and fluffy.
5. Add in the eggs, one at a time until fully mixed.
6. Mix in the vanilla extract.
7. Slowly add in the flour mixture a little at a time, until a smooth dough is formed.
8. With either your hands or a wooden spoon, stir in the oats, fruit, and nuts.
9. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
10. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls, about 2 inches apart onto the baking pan.
11. Bake cookies for about 12-14 minutes, or till lightly browned.
12. Cool slightly on the pan, then transfer the cookies, still on the parchment paper, to a cooling rack.
13. When completely cooled, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Yield: about 2 dozen or so.