Thursday, December 20, 2012

Santa's Cookies - Oatmeal Nutella Reindeer Tracks

This time of year finds me scrambling to make last minute cookies to give to friends and neighbors who drop in unexpectedly - and of course there's Santa that I have to worry about.  I know he gets tired of sugar cookies, so this year I decided to concoct something a little different.  I call them Oatmeal Nutella Reindeer Tracks.   I must confess though that the idea just hit me upside the head....literally.  I was getting all my ingredients out to make traditional oatmeal cookies and I reached high up on the top shelf to get the Old Fashioned Oatmeal box.  I had to use a spatula to pull it towards me and while I was pulling, a jar of Nutella beside it fell off the shelf.  It was a lightbulb moment!

We love Oatmeal cookies made with chopped pecans, so I decided to go ahead and make the normal cookies and then add Nutella to the last batch.  I should have added it to all of them - the Nutella ones will go first, I can assure you.  They're delicious - it's a perfect combination!

Here's a little sample that Hubby got to try out to see which ones Santa would prefer.

The darker cookie is the one with Nutella added.  The other is just plain Oatmeal Pecan.  Both are good, but the Nutella just gives it an extra pop.  Here's the recipe!

Santa's Cookies - Oatmeal Nutella Reindeer Tracks
3/4 c. shortening, soft
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 c. Old Fashioned oats, uncooked
1/2 cup (or more) chopped pecans
3/4 cup Nutella or other chocolate  hazelnut spread

Beat shortening, sugars, egg, water and vanilla together until creamy. Stir together flour, salt and soda; add to creamed mixture, blend well. Stir in oats, nuts and Nutella. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated moderate oven (350 degrees) for 12 to 15 minutes.Makes 5 dozen.

Since I have carpal tunnel in my wrist, I use my mixer to do all the mixing.

Why reindeer tracks?  The inconsistent shapes of the cookies remind me of the very distinctive tracks that deer make as they leap through the fields and woods.  No?  Well, you have to use your imagination, lol.

I wish everyone a very merry Christmas!  And don't forget to leave Santa some cookies!
Reindeer Track Cookies


1 comment:

  1. Merry Christmas to you too, Glenda! Being your twin, I can see quite clearly the distinctive tracks on those cookies that Reindeer make. They probably make the same tracks as they leap from rooftop to rooftop on Christmas Eve! Isn't it fun to keep young in heart and spirit, even if the rest of us is falling to pieces?! LOL!!

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