Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thanks to my friends, I had an awesome bridal shower this past Saturday. My maid of honor flew up from Houston, and my bridesmaids did a great job decorating my apartment. Also, with me being me, I couldn't not help out with the food. We had a tea-themed shower, and my girls helped make a variety of delicious tea sandwiches. For the favors, we gave away these jars filled with these grown-up oatmeal chocolate cookies. Grown-up how? Well, the addition of spices and orange zest made for a great flavor that got everyone trying to figure it out. I'm really glad my bridesmaids let me have my way with the food and favors.. sure it was a lot of work, but knowing my friends' taste buds were satisfied made it all worth it.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from Sparks in the Kitchen, by Katy Sparks with Andrea Strong

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large cookie sheet with silicone baking mat.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla, and beat until well mixed, about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in eggs, one at a time.
4. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove in a separate bowl.
5. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter with the mixer on low speed. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the second half. 6. Stir in the oats, orange zest, and chocolate chips.
7. Drop the dough, by the tablespoon, onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
8. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on a rack. Store at room temperature in an airtight container. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.