Day 28 Dessert - Rustic French Oatmeal Cookies

Since Obe and I are doing our best to stay away from packaged, processed foods, I've been doing a fair amount of baking at home.  Even though I used to do it for a living, I never seem to get sick of making cookies!  Since we are also trying to stay away from refined flours, I've been doing some experimenting with whole-grain cookies, lately.  This recipe calls for oats and whole wheat pastry flour, which is a wonderful substitute for white flour.

The floral aroma of the Herbs de Provence and rosewater with the bittersweet chocolate studded with coarse grains of salt is truly a flavor experience!  These cookies are fragrant, buttery, crispy-chewy and a little savory-sweet.  If you have become bored with the usual chocolate chip or oatmeal cookie, do try these.  Your taste buds will thank you!

Rustic French Oatmeal Cookies
about 2 dozen large cookies

1/2 pound butter, room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. rosewater (optional, may substitute vanilla)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 T coarse kosher salt
2 T herbs de provence
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter with sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add rosewater and egg and mix on low speed until combined.  Combine baking powder, soda, herbs, salt and flour in a separate bowl.  Add to standing mixer and mix on low until combined.  Add oats and chocolate chips, and mix on low to combine.

Using a 2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.  Make 6 cookies per medium-sized tray (these cookies spread out a lot).  Flatten each mound of dough with the palm of your hand, then bake until lightly browned, about 13 minutes.