Rocks Cookies

Rocks cookies get their name from their rough, bumpy appearance. Packed with rolled oats, chopped figs (or raisins or dates), and nuts, these drop cookies aren’t pretty, but they deliver a chewy, spiced bite that’s closer to a fruitcake cookie than a standard oatmeal cookie.

Brown sugar and shortening cream together into the base, and sour milk (buttermilk’s cousin) reacts with the baking soda to give these a tender crumb. Cake flour instead of all-purpose keeps them lighter and more delicate despite all the heavy mix-ins.

Cinnamon and cloves warm the whole batch. The spice level is restrained, just enough to notice without overpowering the fruit and nuts.

Drop by teaspoons for cookies that bake in about 12 minutes. They spread slightly but hold their craggy, rock-like shape.

Kitchen Tips

• Make sour milk by adding a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes. It curdles slightly and works just like buttermilk.
• Chop the figs (or raisins or dates) small enough to fit on a teaspoon without making the dough hard to portion.
• Don’t flatten the dough drops. The bumpy, uneven tops are the whole point of rocks cookies.
• These keep well in a cookie jar for up to a week. The fruit keeps them moist longer than plain cookies.

Variations

• Tropical rocks: Use chopped dried mango and macadamia nuts instead of figs and walnuts.
• Chocolate chip rocks: Add a handful of chocolate chips alongside the dried fruit for a chocolate-fruit combination.