Oatmeal Scotchies UPDATED!

When I was a kid, there was only one kind of chocolate chip! No butterscotch, no milk chocolate, no white chocolate, no peanut butter, etc. Butterscotch chips debuted in 1977. And today you can find all of these and more. Aldi carries close to a dozen different kinds of chips for cookies! 

I've been thinking about baking some oatmeal scotchies ever since I tasted maca. Maca is a powdered root grown in Peru. Regarded as a superfood, it helps balance hormone levels, increases libido, and even calms anxiety. And it tastes good--sort of like caramel or butterscotch! Adding it to something like a blondie seems like a no-brainer.

I tried adding it to my morning coffee, along with a bunch of other supplements, but I didn't love the gritty texture. Maca works well in baked goods, though. I like it added to banana bread and blueberry cake. A little goes a long way, though, so I recommend starting with a tablespoon or two in a batch of cookies, cakes, or muffins. See what you think!

I followed the original recipe (created by Nestle) for Oatmeal Scotchies, except for one small change. I substituted nutmeg for the cinnamon. I just thought it might balance out the sweetness better. If you prefer cinnamon, stick with that. I baked half a batch, then added the maca and some raw cashews, walnuts, and macadamia nuts to the remaining dough. The second batch with the added nutrients still tastes delicious but feels much healthier and more virtuous when you eat them.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup unbleached flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 and 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 TB maca (optional)

1/2 cup mixed nuts (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour with the rest of the dry ingredients. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Combine butter and sugars. Beat well. Add egg. Beat some more. Add vanilla and oats. Combine with dry ingredients and stir well. Add butterscotch chips, plus maca and nuts if desired. Scoop heaping teaspoons of dough onto greased cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. The longer they bake, the crispier they become. If you like chewy cookies, undertake them slightly. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Store in sealed container. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.