Beach Treats

Summertime at the beach. It never feels like my summer is complete until I visit the beach. For as long as I can remember, that came in the form of a trip to Ocean City, MD. When we spent summers in Maryland growing up, we'd always make the trip to Ocean City during the end of our two month stay. As a result, I would both look forward to and dread the trip. I loved a good trip to the beach, but also dreaded summer coming to an end and heading back to school and "responsibilities." In my third official summer since ending my very long stint in school, trips to the beach no longer signal the end of summer, but rather help me stay sane as I tire of summer and anxiously await the arrival of my beloved fall.
For the first time ever, Mother and I decided to head to a different beach for the day. Usually, we head out to Maryland's eastern shore for a day filled with nostalgia. Trips to Ocean City are never complete without a retelling of the time when my cousin and I talked our parents into letting us get hermit crabs on the boardwalk and I both dropped mine, allowing to fly across the bathroom floor, and nearly drowned it in a bowl of water...screaming hysterically during both occurances...within the first 24 hours of ownership; or the time when a solo trip on the haunted house ride on the boardwalk sent me into a crying fit of hysteria. This time, however, we decided to head to the first state (Delaware) for some rest and relaxation on the shores of Bethany Beach. It was a delightful day (well, at least until dinner time...Deleware doesn't do crab cakes like Maryland and I mistakenly ordered a whole lobster, sending me into an unexpected level of hysterics yet again) and we were quiet pleased with our decision for a change of pace.

As with any trip to the beach, we packed up the cooler with sandwiches and snacks for both the car and our time at the beach. Never one to miss an opportunity to bake, I decided to make some cookies for us to take on our journey. Using both apples and cinnamon, these cookies filled my kitchen with the smells of fall and further ignited my desire for it to arrive. They were perfect for a day in the sun and will be even better to snack on when the leaves begin to fall...less than two months :)

Butterscotch Apple Cinnamon and Oats Cookies

Adapted from this version

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 3/4 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup apple sauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup butterscotch chips
• 3/4 cup chopped apples

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk in oats until combined
3. In a large bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, brown sugar and applesauce until creamy, about 1 minute; beat in vanilla and egg until combined
4. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in oat mixture until combined. Stir in butterscotch chips and apples until combined
5. Drop heaping teaspoons of dough onto cookie sheets, about an inch apart
6. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute before transferring to wire racks to cool completely

Happy Summer!