Paul’s Healthy or Decadent
New England Oatmeal Cookies
May be made wholesome enough for a breakfast bar – or sinful as a candied confection.

These cookies may be crafted “heart-friendly” – plain or with dried fruits, raisons, and nuts – OR – “fully loaded” – with butterscotch, chocolate or candied morsels, and topped with a maple sugar frosting and deviled pecans.

Ingredients:

Cookies:

  • 3/4 cup (total) Irish Butter, American Butter or Bake-friendly butter substitute or a combination of these and canola oil*.
  • 1 egg (or equivalent – baking soda & vinegar* or apple sauce work well)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar or combination of brown and palm sugar*
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 1/4 cup Old Fashioned Oats

Add candied or yogurt covered morsels, dried fruit (cherries, blueberries, dates or raisons*) and nuts (pecans, walnuts, or sliced almonds) if desired. Top with Maple Frosting and Deviled Pecans. A grating of fresh nutmeg is the final touch.

Maple Frosting:

Mix in the tradition manner:

  • 1 Tbs butter
  • 1/4 cup confectionary sugar
  • Drizzle of real maple syrup.

Deviled Pecans:

Saute pecans in liberal amount of butter (usually a stick per 12 oz.) with salt until golden brown. Add a pinch of Cyan pepper, onion (and/or garlic powder), and a few drops of Worcester sauce at the very end as not to scorch the seasoning.

Let cool.

A good vanilla extract
dark chocolate and butterscotch chips
With a Godiva chocolate and cup of Earl Grey

Images – 2021 – KPS

Method:

Roll into 1 1/2 to 2 inch balls and place on parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for ten to twenty minutes. Remove before the center “falls”. Let cool completely before moving or placing on a rack. Longer cooking time with create a crisper cookie.

To keep soft cookies softer longer, store in a jar with English muffins. Restore softness in the microwave.

* Healthiest options

Traditional Maple Sugaring
Mount Holly, Vermont
Add dried fruit, nuts, or chips and roll into balls
Remove while puffed
Let rest before racking
Frosted with a pot of Earl Grey.
Images – CDL III – KPS

My cousins, Carl II and his son, Carl III, enjoy maple sugaring each spring according to the traditional method in a restored sugar house near Mount Holly, Vermont. This fresh and light syrup is made in small private batches and has a beautiful color perfect sweetness for many of the recipes listed here.

“I had these recipes that say do this , don’t do that.

Who MAKES these rules?”

Emerille LaGasse

Celebrity Chef

Television Host and New Orleans restaurateur

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