Bakery-bought cookies loaded with maida and sugar are hard to resist, but a lighter version made with oats can be put together at home without much effort, and it does not call for any advanced baking skills. Nuts and dried fruits can be added according to taste, making the recipe flexible enough for anyone experimenting with home baking for the first time.
What you need in the kitchen
Keep 1 cup of rolled oats or oat flour, half a cup of wheat flour, roughly half a cup of powdered sugar and half a cup of butter ready. Alongside these, half a teaspoon of baking powder, a pinch of salt and half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder go into the mix. Chopped almonds, walnuts, raisins or chocolate chips can be thrown in for extra flavour, and about 2 to 3 teaspoons of milk may be needed to bring the dough together.
Getting the dough right
In a large bowl, whisk the butter and powdered sugar together until the mixture turns light and creamy. Oat flour and wheat flour are folded in next, followed by the baking powder, salt and cinnamon powder. Milk is added a little at a time until a soft dough forms, but care should be taken to avoid making it too runny, since a loose dough will not hold its shape once it hits the oven.
Shaping the cookies
Once the dough is ready, chopped almonds, walnuts or any preferred dried fruit can be kneaded in. Small portions are then rolled into balls and gently flattened with the palm to give them a classic cookie shape. These are placed on a butter-paper-lined baking tray with enough space between each piece, since they tend to spread while baking. A few extra oats or dried fruit pieces can be pressed on top for a nicer finish.
Baking time and temperature
The oven should be preheated to around 170 degrees Celsius before the tray goes in. Baking usually takes 12 to 18 minutes, and the cookies are ready once their edges turn lightly golden. They may still feel a little soft right when they come out of the oven, but that is normal, the texture firms up considerably as they cool down.
Cooling, storing and customising the recipe
The cookies should be allowed to cool completely before being transferred to an airtight container, where they stay fresh for snacking with tea, coffee or milk. One of the biggest advantages of making them at home is the control it offers, the amount of sugar can be adjusted up or down depending on personal preference, and the choice of nuts or dried fruits can be changed every time for a slightly different version of the same cookie.
