It has been some delightful and delicious months cooking the recipes of Ruth Reichl. A true GOURMET experience!
Good-bye, Ruth Reichl.
Sigh.
This was my first go around with I Heart Cooking Clubs and I joined up because of Ruth. Ruth is my hero. I want to grow up to be Ruth. I heart Ruth. (For all my Ruth gushings, click here.)
For IHCC’s final theme, we could cook anything to celebrate the six months of cooking with her. Ah, Ruth, it seems like only yesterday….
I decided the perfect swan song for the Ruth odyssey would be a cookie, but not just any cookie would do. It had to be a delicious, homey cookie, one that reminded me of Ruth and her kitchen. I baked the very first recipe I came to in Gourmet Today, Mixed Dried Fruit Oatmeal Cookies.
Mixed Dried Fruit Oatmeal Cookies
“It may seem heretical to make an oatmeal cookie without raisins, but you”ll never miss them after one bite of these moist cookies, loaded with dried apricots, prunes, and sour cherries. The combination volleys between sweet and tart, all in a familiar context.”
Ingredients
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, beaten lightly
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1/2 cup chopped pitted prunes
- 1/2 cup dried sour cherries or dried cranberries (I used cranberries.)
Instructions
In a large bowl cream the butter with the brown sugar and beat in the egg, the baking soda mixture, the flour, the salt, and the vanilla. Stir in the oats, the apricots, the prunes, and the cherries and combine the dough well. Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough about 4 inches apart onto greased baking sheets and with a fork dipped in cold water flatten and spread each mound into a thin round, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Bake the cookies in batches in the middle of a preheated 375°F. oven 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are golden, transfer them with a spatula to racks, and let them cool.
Cook’s Note: The cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days.
Yield: 20 large cookies
Cookies for Ruth. Homey and comforting, just like her recipes and voice.
These are definitely my new favorite non-chocolate cookie. The vanilla just complements the dried fruit. You must try these, invite over a neighbor, brew a pot of tea, and enjoy these warm cookies.
Although I didn’t post up every week (as I initially vowed), here’s what Ruth and I cooked up for the IHCC odyssey.
Balsamic Grilled Pork Chops and Scalloped Butternut Squash
Pumpkin Apple Bread
Morning Glory Muffins
Cornmeal Cream Cheese Pancakes with Cranberry and Apricot Maple Syrup
Painless Pasta
Roasted Clementine Bruschetta
Lamb Chops with Baked Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts
Baked Pasta with Tomatoes, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Prosciutto
Diva of a Grilled Cheese and Creamy Tomato Soup
“Paella” Fried Rice
Our Ruth days are over
. What’s up next for I Heart Cooking Clubs? Check it out here.
Comments & Replies
14 responses to “Mixed Dried Fruit Oatmeal Cookies”
What a gorgeous selection of recipes you made! I’m a fan of Ruth Reichl too, though I haven’t made many of her recipes. I have the big fat Gourmet cookbook, and should follow your lead and try the recipes.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
You do need to explore that big cookbook, Mae. I really would like to cook my way through it.
Some really super recipes here! And those oatmeal cookies look fantastic! Terrific recipe for that — thanks.
Thanks, John. I don’t know that one could go wrong with any Ruth Recipe! 🙂
You have nailed the Ruth Odyssey: Homey and comforting, just like her recipes and voice. These oatmeal cookies look so amazing! This is a recipe to try.
Thanks, Shirley. Hope you do try it!
What a yummy collection of recipes! Those fruity oatmeal cookies look chewy and delicious.
These are really the best oatmeal cookies I’ve had. (With the exception of my grandmother’s old fashioned ones.)
What a fun month you’ve had and what a feast you’ve been cooking up. It all looks wonderful but the cookies seem very special. I good tribute to the month you’ve had.
Months and months! It’s been a cool ride. I wish I could have posted every week.
What a delicious cooking experience you had with Ruth…she would be proud.
That makes me blush…that Ruth would be proud. I know that if I ever get the chance to meet her, I will be totally tongue-tied.
I love the idea of adding different dried fruits to an oatmeal cookie. Why stop with a raisin? In fact, I like dried cherries and cranberries way more than raisins. I’ll have to give these a try.
Really enjoyed your tasty roundup and tribute to Ruth. I still have to make that diva grilled cheese:)
Seriously, may be my favorite cookie recipe. The Diva is definitely my favorite sandwich! Thanks, Kim.