Apple Spice Cookies

ARGHHHHHHHH!!!!

FRUSTRATION!!!!

GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

What happened?? Seriously! The Ravens looked amazing last week...and this week, a bunch of middle schoolers showed up in their place. The football game was going so badly that I actually turned the TV off. Typically, my "Sunday thing" is to bake during the game because it relaxes me and helps me not to shout at the television. To cope, I stormed into the kitchen, pulled out my cobalt blue Kitchen Aid mixer, and got to work making these cookies. They taste like fall with the apples and spices. I love nuts in cookies, but if you're not a fan (or you're allergic), feel free to leave them out altogether. Or you could use butterscotch chips in their place. Or caramel bits. Or white chocolate. Seriously, who would turn down the opportunity to toss some chocolate in a cookie?

Apple Spice Cookies
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup butter-flavored shortening
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp maple extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsps ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup golden raisins
1 1/2 cups chopped dried apples, divided (I used one 4.5oz bag)
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts



INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening.

Add in dark brown sugar and white sugar and cream.

Add eggs and maple extract extract and beat until smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine the all purpose flour, wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt; stir into the butter/sugar mixture until just combined.

In a large bowl, mix the oats, raisins, dried apples, and walnuts. Dump into the butter/sugar/flour mixture until combined.

Line an ungreased cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop or a large spoon, form into a walnut-sized ball and place on a the lined cookie sheet. Place a small piece of dried apple on top of the dough, and flatten into a patty.

Bake 11 to 13 minutes, until light and golden. Do not overbake. Let cookies cool for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely.

Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.