Aspiring Bakers #3: CNY Cookies (2011) - Matcha Oatmeal Cookies

It is very frustrating to get phone calls when I'm in the midst of something, especially when I'm busy in the kitchen.  It is even more infuriating when the calls are unimportant calls.  I do get irritated when I received calls from banks/survey companies blah blah blah... but I can easily shut them off, end the call and go back to what I was doing earlier.  If the call is from a close friend or my maiden family, I will explain that I'm busy and will return call later (eh... that's a few days later).  But if it's a call from friends (or rather, acquittances) or relatives, I tend to be a little more polite.  Hypocrite?  Maybe.

Anyway, I've been getting the same questions from some people over the past 2 years, asking me why DD1's teacher allows her to do certain things but not her child.  Hey, these 2 kids have never been in the same class and their form teachers are different.  We are moving into the 3rd year and I'm still getting similar questions.  Given the same request from 2 students in different classes, do we expect to get the same reply?  When the response from the teachers differ, I get questioned, "Why huh?"  I'm not the teacher, don't ask me, go ask the teacher.

Alright, enough of my rants.  I just need to get it off my chest.

This is not a traditional Chinese New Year (CNY) cookie.  When I say traditional CNY cookies, I'm actually referring to peanut cookies, kuih bangkit, almond cookies, love letters and the ever famous pineapple tarts.  It is common to find these cookies all over the shops in Singapore during this festive season. Over the years, with some influence from the West, we have included western cookies into our CNY.  Yes, similar to the checkerboard cookies I've baked earlier, I'm sharing another western cookie for CNY - Matcha Oatmeal Cookies.

I've baked this using Oatmeal Currant Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe but modified it to include matcha.  Despite not being a great fan of matcha (green tea), my kids love these cookies.  I think this is a great combination, oatmeal and matcha, a healthier choice ;-)

With my previous attempt with cocoa powder, I thought the cookies were still too sweet so I omit caster sugar altogether.

I'm happy how these cookies turned out ^-^

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers # 3: My Favorite CNY Cookie (Jan 2011) hosted by j3ss kitch3n.

Matcha Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
110g unsalted butter
100g light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I omit)
90g all purpose flour
1 tsp matcha/green tea powder
1/2 tsp salt (omit salt if you are using salted butter)
130g rolled oats
100g chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.
2. Cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the egg and beat well (if you are making full recipe, add egg one at a time).
4. Add in vanilla extract.
5. In a separate bowl, mix flour, matcha/green tea powder and salt.
6. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until incorporated.
7. Stir in the rolled oats and chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon.
8. Using a cookie scoop, drop cookie dough onto the prepared baking tray.
9. Flatten the cookies slightly and bake the cookies for about 15 - 20 minutes. The cookies are done when golden brown around the edges but still a little soft in the centers. (The longer the cookies bake the more crispy they will be.) Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling. These cookies will keep several days at room temperature.