We bake a lot of cookies around here
and we do a lot of shipping.
What you might not know
is that we also ship a lot of baked goods.
Even frosted cakes complete with HG candles!

From the very start of Herriott Grace,
I've always shipped baked goods to my father.
I guess it's been a trade of sorts.
He ships me the wooden pieces he makes,
I bake all sorts of things to shoot them with
and once I'm done shooting
I overnight him the leftovers.

 

It's funny, we've been doing this a while now
but recently I hadn't thought to share our tried and true recipes.
So starting today, I'm going to do just that.


This cookie recipe comes from our friend Tara O'Brady.
It travels well both through the post and on a plane.
In fact, we sent most of this batch to my father
only saving a few to take our own flight the next day.
As always, they were perfection.


If ever you have any questions about packing,
shipping or recipe details please pop over to our
instagram or facebook and ask them there.
It'll be fastest way to get a response.  :)


N

 

 

Oatmeal Chocolate 
Chunk  Cookies

 

By Tara O'Brady, reprinted from the The Globe and Mail. 

1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon medium-grain kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, soft but not warm
1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried orange peel or finely grated peel of half an orange [optional]
1 egg, cool
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (150 g) traditional rolled oats
1/2 cup (60 g) chopped toasted walnuts
1/4 cup (40 g) chopped dates
3 tablespoons butter toffee bits 
2 1/2 ounces (60 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

 

Preheat an oven to 350˚F (180˚C) with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two half sheet pans or heavy, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

 

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and ground spices. Set aside.

 

Affix the paddle attachment to a stand mixer. In its bowl, combine the butter, sugars and peel. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, around four minutes.

 

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beaters, then beat for an additional three minutes. Scrape everything down once more, then turn the machine to medium and add the egg. Mix until smooth, scraping down once, then pour in the vanilla extract. Set the mixer to stir, then add the flour mixture. Once almost combined, but with flour still visible, stir in the oats, followed by the walnuts, dates, chocolate and toffee bits.

 

With two spoons or a spring-loaded scoop, form 12 balls of dough, using roughly 2 1/2 tablespoons for each. Arrange the balls evenly on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space for them to spread. Bake in the hot oven until puffed with dry, evenly golden tops, 13 to 15 minutes. Rotate the pans once during baking, from front-to-back and top-to-bottom. Pull the pans from the oven and immediately knock each against the stove top or counter to force out any trapped air (this will cause the cookies to deflate quickly, and make for exceptionally craggy tops). Let the cookies cool on their pans for three minutes before moving them to a baking rack to cool completely.

 

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Over time, the cookies will soften; to reinstate their crunch, rewarm in a low oven for a few minutes.

 

Notes from Tara:

I usually toast the walnuts while the oven is preheating. Spread the walnuts on one of the pans and bake until aromatic and snappy, about five to 10 minutes depending on the temperature. Make sure to stir them often. Transfer the nuts to a bowl once they’re cool enough to touch. Shake any walnut dust off the parchment paper before continuing with the cookies.

 

Cake flour instead of all-purpose will garner a lighter, slightly crispier cookie, while whole-wheat pastry flour offers the suggestion of virtue.

 

Using chocolate bars or blocks rather than chips means that the chocolate will melt into the cookies rather than staying in discrete shapes. This is my preference, as the resulting rills extend the chocolate’s reach.

 

If you keep the general volume of add-ins, feel free to swap and adapt as you like. Ground nutmeg, cardamom or fennel seed can take over for the ginger and cinnamon; dried figs, cranberries, cherries, apricots or brandy-soaked raisins in place of the dates; white or milk chocolate for the bittersweet; pecans for the walnuts; and dried coconut or minced candied ginger for the toffee bits. For the latter, reduce the amount to 2 tablespoons.

 

A generous pinch of finely ground espresso is effective in these cookies, its flinty bitterness working exceptionally well with the dried fruits suggested.