There are so many things I want to say about this recipe. But I have a friend coming over in 2 minutes, stat. We're taste-testing 10 coffee samples for a thrilling new co-projects.
I'm excited about that.
I'm excited about this.
All I've drunken this morning is coffee.
So, apparently, I'm excited about everything.
So let's chat about these here oatmeal cookies. I set out to create "Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies" since it's the New Year, an oatmeal cookie felt like a fun option. Tossing in all sorts of dried fruits and spices and yummy things seemed a proper way to create a trail mixy kind of cookie.
But then, brown sugar kept calling.
And mandarins. And chocolate.
That chocolate-mandarin combo just kept sneaking into my recipe heart.
Which is an alltogether different heart than the one in me that wants to live on Spa Water and green smoothies.
Two hearts in one. It's a wild life.
So, then yes. Of course a plain-old Chocolate Mandarin Oatmeal Cookie sounds fancy. But they come out of the oven looking pretty meh. I figured they needed a happy bit of drizzle up top. Just to make them look as purty on the outside and they do on the inside.
It's an ugly duckling thing.
But then, I mean, Iced Cookies? They've been around for ages.
We needed something more. And the cookies wanted a little va-va-voom to offset their sweetness. (They told me that). (They didn't). (I made that up). (I don't talk to cookies). (This is getting weird).
And that was when I pulled out a skillet, caramelized and toasted rosemary with maple syrup and tossed it in sugar.
People: THIS IS GETTING SERIOUS. Our ugly little duckling is, like, swanning.
Srsly swanning.
All the swanned.
It's straight up swantasm.
Swanneriffico.
Too much? TOOO MUCH? TOOO---yep. Got it.
Just grab a baking pan and make these, k? The cookies told me to tell you to.
(Yep, weird.)
Maple Iced Chocolate-Mandarin Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies
8 large cookies | 30 mins
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar + 1/4 cup
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 3/4 cup white wheat flour + 2 Tbsp
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 oz dried mandarins, chopped
- 5 oz dark chocolate bar, coarsely chopped
- 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 3-4 sprigs rosemary (leaves only, stem discarded)
- 1-2 Tbsp organic sugar
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp half-and-half
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
In a large stand mixer, beat eggs, butter and 1 1/2 cups brown sugar together for a full 5 minutes, until very light and creamy. Add vanilla, oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Mix just until a soft, well-mixed dough forms. Stir in mandarins and chocolate.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or just until cookies turn golden brown around the edges.
In a small saucepan, heat 1 T. maple syrup until bubbling, toss in rosemary leaves, stirring constantly until the syrup begins to caramel and slightly toast the leaves. Transfer to a piece of parchment. Sprinkle immediately with sugar, tossing to coat.
In a small bowl, stir together 2 Tbsp maple syrup, powdered sugar, and just enough half-and-half to make a drizzly icing.
Drizzle icing over warm cookies. Sprinkle with brown sugar and sugared rosemary. Enjoy!