Cornmeal+Butterscotch

You know, I just can't say sing adequate praise about the Add9 concert last night; it was top notch, and all 13 people there were edified by it. Equally spectacular were the refreshments I spent a warm day in the kitchen creating and now share with you. I wanted something oat-y for the this new and welcome autumn weather, so I went to the oat-laden cookie of my childhood: The Cowboy Cookie. I don't know the origins of this, but I wouldn't be surprised to find it in a Betty Crocker classic Cooky Book or similar timeless tome. I changed it, though, and the result was hearty, wholesome, flavourful, and easily the favourite cookie of the night.

Cornmeal Butterscotch Cowboys

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup loosely packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour

1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)

2 cups butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 375˚. Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Sift together flour, soda, powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture, and mix to combine. Add oats and butterscotch chips and mix until combined. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake on the middle rack until brown and golden around the edges, 12-15 minutes. Carefully remove to cooling rack and cool completely.

Quick notes:

• The middle rack was important because otherwise the bottom didn't cook well enough—one batch ended up beautiful on top and hollow and gooey on the bottom. weird.
• If you're afraid of the cornmeal, which you shouldn't be, you could use whole wheat flour or plain old boring AP flour instead, but you'll never know that wholesome cornmeal flavour and your life will be duller for it.
• Yearning for the original Cowboy? Make the following changes: use shortening instead of butter, 1 tsp of the vanilla becomes 1 tsp maple extract, flour instead of cornmeal, and use chocolate chips. Yeah, I know, it's a completely different cookie, but I thought it was worth acknowledging my inspiration.