People have come and go in my life and some people really stay in my heart forever. One of these people I met about 16 years ago while my husband was learning to speak Arabic at the defense language institute in Monterey California. Laura and her husband John were our great friends and we had some pretty fun times together. They make me laugh. Especially Laura’s husband John. This guy is seriously funny and I am tough customer on this issue since I dated a professional comedian and worked as the chef at a comedy club for years. I can remember hanging out that their apartment and laughing the entire time we were there. You know the kind of laughing that you stomach muscles are sore the next day. Tears streaming down your face and gasping for breath type of laughing.
As young married women Laura and I had some pretty good heart to heart discussions that helped me deal with being newly married. I guess I am thinking a lot about these things because of my recent separation from my husband. I love the quote from Dr Suess “don’t cry because it is over but smile because it happened.”
One particular memory I have is when Laura and John came over to see my daughter when we brought her home from the hospital. John made some comment about her being an alien but Laura just picked her up and held her with such tenderness that I knew she would be an amazing mother. She is, by the way, and so I was right. I love to say that…..I was right.
Laura and John now live in Baku Azerbaijan. I think it is very cool and impressive to pick up your family and move to a foreign county and those two seem to roll like that.
About the cookies now….I posted a picture of some cookies I had made at Cal-Wood and Laura asked if I shared my recipes….really? She needs to get with the program and read my blog! This is be a good way to get her started.
I made these cookies one afternoon because the kids at Cal-Woood come and go but the staff is there all year. They may have been getting a bit tired of the same treats so I decided to create a cookie that was easy to make but appealed to a more adult palate.
These buttery darlings are easy to make and have a subtle cardamom flavor that brings out the earthy oats and sweet dried apricot.
Oatmeal Cardamom Apricot Cookies
Do not overbake these cookies. Take them out of the oven when the edges are browned but the center is light in color.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (7 1/2 oz)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon good quality cardamom, ground
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 sticks of unsalted butter (4 oz)
1 cup packed brown sugar (7 oz)
1 cup granulated sugar (7 oz)
2 large eggs
3 cups rolled oats (not the instant kind but the good old fashioned stuff)
1 cup finely diced dried apricots
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and adjust oven racks to the low and middle of your oven. I use parchment sheets to line my baking try but you can also use non-stick spray.
Whisk your dry ingredients together. Flour, salt, baking powder and cardamom should go in a seperate bowl and whisk until combined.
With a stand mixer or hand held mixer beat butter for about 1 minute and then add sugars and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs to fluffy butter and sugars one at the time and beat for about 2 minutes.
Stir the butter mixture into your dry ingredients. Add oats and apricots. Mix until combined.
Scoop dough onto sheet pan keeping the cookies at least 2 inches apart and bake for 20-25 minutes.
After baking let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes and then transfer them to a baking rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
I simply adore cardamom! These look amazing. Can’t wait to make them. I’ll post on my facebook page as I know fans will gobble them up!
Perfect. Let me know how they turn out for you. Much thanks.
Oh, my goodness, Connie. Thank You SO MUCH! Those were some seriously fun times! I think about it so often. So many things remind me of you and Perryn. Lamb chops, old Volvos, awesome restaurants, Valentines dinners, cool-funky artwork, prank phone calls, and even elliptical machines! Thank you for the recipe, too. I’ll have to ask my colleagues if there’s any cardamom here =)
You can use nutmeg. OMG…prank phone calls. Yes I remember those. Can you still do that at our age cause I will….I love you guys.
You can use nutmeg. OMG…prank phone calls. Yes I remember those. Can you still do that at our age cause I will….I love you guys. I miss that Volvo.
Wow, these look splendid. I love how you weave the narrative with your recipe sharing. Makes for an interesting post!
Thank you. I am working on this theme. I have some much to tell everyone and my friends are all very interesting.
These sound wonderful, Connie! Cardamom and apricots – what a great combination.
It really did turn out to be a yummy combo.
Oatmeal and cardamom sounds like a great combination–thanks for the great idea!
No problem. Thanks for visiting my blog.
I am pinning this now! yum!
That looks delicious. I must try it soon. Thanks.
Let me know how they work out for you.
Wow. Thanks!
I am not sure how I found your blog but I am so glad I did, I love it! And, I did realize that you had not posted in awhile and thought I had lost my new friend so glad you are back you have wonderful talents!
Thank you very much friend. Glad to be posting again.
These look positively delicious!
Thank you.
I bet the cardamom gave it such a great twist of flavor!
It is different but works.
Wow, the flavoured in these must be amazing. They sound fantastic. I love cardamom.
Great. Let me know if you make these cookies.
Can’t wait to try these! I love trying a new recipe-keep them coming!
Absolutely.
I’ve never tried cardamom but I will definitely invest in some! My Mum loves apricots so she’ll definitely love these. Thanks!
The combo of spice and sweet works well in this recipe. I think you will like it. Thanks for stopping by.
a really nice little cookie connie! – love apricots and can imagine them well with the cardamom! (I’m sorry to hear about your separation! My wish is that whatever in life is best for you, that it find you soon! Until then, keep doing what you love!)
Thank you very much!
These look really good — I like the cardamom and apricots in them. How’s the sweetness level? Two cups of sugar plus a cup of dried fruit sounds like an awful lot. And what happens if you overbake them that you don’t like?
These are a very sweet cookie. You can reduce the sugar by up to 1/2 cup.
Friends who make you laugh are absolutely the best kind! For a cookie monster, yours sound terrific. Every Saturday at the farmers market I treat myself to an oatmeal/apricot cookie so this recipe will definitely be one to make. I can’t wait!
I laugh a lot and make friends with funny people because I just love them.
This is so amazing! I got hungry just by looking at your post! =)
Wonderful stories and I agree with Dr. Seuss. Glad you appear to be picking yourself up and moving on with life. After all, life is what it is all about and with the good always comes the bumps and bruises in life. Enjoy the memories and experiences.
As always, I love your recipes and these cookies sound fabulous. I love cardamon. It is so versatile and works so well with sweetness like these cookies. Very nice, indeed.
Hey Richard, Nice to hear from you! I am getting a little bruised but it is good. Thanks for your kind words.
I love the flavors in this cookie. Thanks for sharing it.
I might need to try these soon! Yum! Might be tasty with some white chocolate too
They look very tasty. Thanks for sharing. I will have to give that recipe a try.
They did turn out very buttery and good.
Hello! I’ve nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Please check out: http://weeknighttreats.wordpress.com/2012/10/18/very-inspring-blogger-nomination for badge and info. -Simple Nourishing Delicious
I am so glad that I found your site! These cookies sound amazing, since I love oatmeal cookies, dried apricots, and cardamom. For your friend Laura in Baku, from what I have read, Azeris love cardamom! She should have no trouble finding it! They use it alot in sweet baked goods. What it is named in Azeri is another issue
I make challah for the Sabbath every week and I put 1 teaspoon of cardamom in my challah recipe for about 4 cups of flour.
yummmmmm!!! these look so yummyy!!! soooo trying these
Great blog!