Cherry-Vanilla Oatmeal Cookies

Nothing humdrum here. Swap out the usual cinnamon and raisins for vanilla and cherries, and become a born-again oatmeal-cookie fanatic. Buttery, crispy, chewy -- they've got everything you could want in a cookie. Does that sound like a dare to add chocolate chips? We wouldn't stop you.

Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 dozen cookies

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (or half as much table salt)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup dried cherries
3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1. Heat the oven to 350 F.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until creamy. Whisk together the flour with the salt and baking soda, and add this to the butter mixture. Beat until blended, then mix in the oats, cherries, and pecans.
3. Drop tablespoonfuls of the dough onto greased (or parchment-lined) cookie sheets, and bake 10-12 minutes, until cookies are deep golden and brown at the edges. Let baked cookies sit on sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cook.

See more recipes from Catherine Newman at her "Dalai Mama Dishes" blog.