Double the oats for a pleasing holiday cookie

Many people would balk at the idea of eating holiday cookies for breakfast, but this recipe might make you reconsider.

These double-the-oats oatmeal cookies are so jammed with oats — making them tender and wonderfully chewy and rich — that I’ve been known to take them on vacation just so I can enjoy a familiar breakfast. Because if you could enjoy your morning bowl of oatmeal in the form of a cookie, why not?

The inspiration for this cookie actually began with my dislike of raisins. Most oatmeal cookies are packed with raisins, which usually turns me off. So I wanted to create my own take on this classic cookie.

I started with a basic cookie dough made with creamed butter, then added twice as many oats as a traditional cookie. I also substituted dried cherries for the raisins. The result was a good cookie, but it wasn’t a great cookie. I wanted to be able to taste the individual ingredients, and I wanted a crispier texture.

I was at loss until a trip to Houston unexpectedly gave me the answer. I was visiting a friend whose mom recently had sent him a tin of her oatmeal cookies. I tried one and wanted to eat the entire batch. I loved the texture and the light, clean taste. They were crisp and toothsome, everything I was looking for.

The secret? She used vegetable oil instead of butter.

At first, I thought this was odd, but then I realized that a lot of my favorite cakes were made with oil, not butter. As soon as I got home, I tested my recipe with oil and I could not believe the difference. My cookies had gone from good to great and I started baking them weekly.

Because I like to eat these cookies for breakfast with a cup of coffee, I bake them and keep them in the freezer so I have them on hand most of the time. I generally bake the cookies with dried cherries and pecans, which makes me equate them with eating a bowl of granola.

But during the holidays, I love making them with dark chocolate chips and walnuts. The addition of the rich chocolate makes them more decadent and takes them from a breakfast cookie to a special occasion cookie.

Double-The-Oats Oatmeal Cookies

Start to finish: 30 minutes. Makes 3 dozen cookies

Feel free to substitute 1 1/2 cups of dark chocolate chips and 1 cup of chopped walnuts for the dried cherries and pecans. Either version is delicious and perfect for a holiday — or any day — treat.

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking), divided

1 1/3 cups dried cherries

1 generous cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped

Heat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with kitchen parchment.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla until frothy. Add both sugars and the oil. Mix until well blended and creamy in appearance.In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom and salt. Add to sugar and egg mixture and mix until completely combined. Mix in 2 cups of the oats, then the cherries and pecans. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of oats and mix well. The batter will be stiff.

Working in batches, use a teaspoon to drop cookie dough on the prepared cookie, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Bake for 14 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and still soft at the center. Cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then use a spatula to transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Per cookie: 180 calories; 80 calories from fat (44 percent of total calories); 9 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 2 g protein; 70 mg sodium.