Fleur de Sel Dusted Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made cookies over the weekend and they were a smashing success so I thought I'd share the recipe with you. It's a more sophisticated version of the classic, requiring top notch ingredients and a little more effort to achieve the rustic non factory-made feel to them, but I think it's worthwhile in the end (particularly if you are trying to steal someone's heart via their stomach!). 

The foundation of the recipe is from the back of the Quaker Oats lid. But I like to balance wholesomeness with debauchery so this recipe is what I came up with:

- 1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened

- 4 oz semi-sweet good quality chocolate, chopped

- 1/2 cup organic walnuts, chopped

- 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

- 1/2 cup granulated sugar

- 2 eggs

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional but I recommend)

- 3 cups old fashioned Quaker Oats, uncooked

- 2 tablespoons Fleur de Sel

Heat oven to 350 F and prepare chocolate, nuts, and salt...

I used Ghiradelli chocolate but I'm also a big fan of Scharffen Berger. Now, if you want to take a little short cut here, by all means, buy the Ghiradelli chocolate chips. I just get really caught up in appearances sometimes... and I like the idea of a more rustic looking cookie. I have a thing about uniform size - I don't like it! But hey, if you want a "perfect" cookie, then don't chip the chips... and while you're at it, count the chip rations per cookie and exact the proportions a la Robert De Niro's blueberry muffins in Casino!

 Same story with the nuts - I know, I am nuts...

I took a mortar and pestle to my fleur de sel for fear of cracking a tooth on an extra-large chunk! Be careful to not make each salt crystal similar in size though... HA! Kidding...

- In a large bowl beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy

- Add eggs and vanilla and beat well

- Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and mix well

- Add oats, nuts and chips and mix well

- Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet (they will spread a little so allow about an inch and a half between and pat them down with the back of the spoon)

- Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until light golden brown. 

- Dust with pinch of fleur de sel

- Cool on wire racks

- Eat at least one while still warm!

- Repeat - should yield about 4 dozen

... Just like Mom used to make - only sexier!