The perfect season is finally here.  Along with perfect fall weather, perfect fall scenery, crunchy leaves, perfect fall sweaters, and pumpkins…there is this perfect cookie. 

Yup, this is it.

It is the taste of fall spices all in one bite.

My mom and I first discovered this cookie a few years ago.  While my grandmother was in the hospital, the nurse brought in some of these cookies.  It was a cookie we never forget.  There is just a little something that makes them different from your ordinary oatmeal cookie.  The recipe was adapted from Paula Dean’s “Loaded Oatmeal Cookies." 

Right away my mom and I made these cookies and we have been making them ever since.  It is a great cookie for the fall or during the holidays.

Make it. Eat it. Love it…and repeat.

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• ½ cup shortening (crisco)
• 1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (or you can use freshly ground nutmeg)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 ½ cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 ½ cup raisins
• 1 ½ cups chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-  Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar in a bowl until fluffy.  Add eggs and beat until mixture is light in color.  Add buttermilk. 

- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; stir into creamed mixture. 

- Fold in oatmeal, raisins, walnuts, and vanilla, blending well.  Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet.  Bake for 12- 15 minutes.  Drizzle with Brown Butter Icing (recipe below).

Brown Butter Icing

• ½ cup butter
• 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-4 Tablespoons water  (more or less if needed)

Directions:

- In a small saucepan heat the butter over medium heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally.  Remove saucepan from heat: stir in 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Stir on enough water (3-4 Tablespoons) to make an icing of drizzling consistency.  Drizzle on warm cookies.