Paula's Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

• 1/2  cup  (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2  cup  vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2  cup  packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2  cup  buttermilk
• 1 3/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1  teaspoon  ground ginger
• 1  teaspoon  freshly ground nutmeg
• 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cloves
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground allspice
• 2 1/2  cup  quick-cooking oatmeal
• 1  cup  raisins
• 1 1/2  cup  chopped walnuts
• 1  teaspoon  pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one or more cookie sheets. 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. 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 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Brown Butter Icing.

Yield: About 5 dozen cookies
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12 to 15 minutes
Ease of preparation: Easy

Brown Butter Icing
1/2 cup butter
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 to 4 tablespoons of water

In a small saucepan heat 1/2 cup 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 in enough water (3 to 4 tablespoons) to make an icing of drizzling consistency. Drizzle on warm cookies.

Yield: Enough to ice 5 dozen cookies
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Ease of preparation: Easy

Recipes courtesy Paula Deen