The Comfort of a Warm Cookie

With this fall weather coming on, using the oven just feels right. Not only does it heat my little house, but oh my- braising liquids and crisped baked goods are some of the best aromatherapy around. Despite my many iterations of banana bread, zucchini muffins and chocolate zucchini cake this year, I haven't baked cookies.

Thus, to my husband, I have not yet truly baked.

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What is it about the humble cookie that has our hearts? Even the name betrays our love- like binky or blankie- cookies represent a childish need for stability that we should have long outgrown. Should we though? In a world where eating a cookie can be an act of rebellion, I'm diving in. I'm baking a double batch. Follow your heart dear reader, recipe below...

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Martha Stewart's Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (about 2 ounces), toasted

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flours, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add egg and vanilla; mix until combined. Mix in banana. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in oats, chocolate chunks, and walnuts.

2. Using a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown and just set, 12 to 13 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers up to 2 days.

**I made the following tweaks to this recipe:

1. Substituted 1/4 cup of flour and added 1/4 cup of coconut shavings

2. Used dark chocolate chips instead of semi sweet

3. Extra coarse sea salt gives delicious pops of saltiness

Here's a link to the original recipe:

https://www.marthastewart.com/338169/banana-walnut-chocolate-chunk-cookies