Mrs. Fields & iVillage 30th Anniversary Cookie Contest (682 photos)

Wow! Orange & Garam Masala

Wow! Orange & Garam Masala Cookies

1 cup butter,softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala spice
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 Tablespoon orange or tangerine zest, finely grated
3 cups rolled oats, uncooked (old fashioned or quick)
2 cups walnuts, coursely chopped
2 cups chocolate chips

Beat until creamy, butter, sugar and orange zest. Add eggs beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, salt and Garam Masala. Stir in oats, nuts and chocolate chips. Scoop rounded tablespoon of dough and drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 350* F oven, 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet remove and continue cooling on wire rack. Yield: 4 dozen 2" cookies. This cookie recipe has evolved over the years, and it has become the favorite with our family and friends. When new families move into he neighborhood, I take them a plate of these freshly baked cookies. And, when there's a potluck and I ask what I may bring, the reply is almost always, "Your special chocolate chip cookies!" I learned about the spice, Garam Masala, when I took a cooking class on India cuisine, and I found it to be a tasty addition to a variety of dishes, including baked goods. Like cinnamon, it fills the kitchen with a wonderful aroma! One day, while mixing a batch of cookies, I grated the peel of an orange and included it in the cookie recipe. When the first bite of the cookie is taken, the response is often, "Wow! What a nice surprise to taste the orange, and what is the spice you used?"