Cookie Swap: Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

If you like oatmeal raisin cookies, then you'll loooove these.
It's almost like Ms Paula took your basic oatmeal cookie and took it up a couple notches. Very yummy (and all of the spices in them makes them seem more Christmas-y instead of just boring) and definitely won't disappoint. I made them for the first time yesterday, and they're super easy.

Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

(photo courtesy of Food Network)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Brown Butter Icing, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease 1 or more cookie sheets. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until mixture is light in color. Add buttermilk. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; stir into creamed mixture. Fold in oatmeal, raisins, walnuts, and vanilla, blending well. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Brown Butter Icing.

Brown Butter Icing:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 to 4 tablespoons water

In a small saucepan heat the butter over medium heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in enough water (3 to 4 tablespoons) to make an icing of drizzling consistency. Drizzle on warm cookies.

Yield: enough to ice 5 dozen cookies (I actually had some left over, so don't hesistate to go crazy with it!)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes