Gaia Cookies

by Cindi Sutter, Founder of The Spirited Table® 

recipe from Shauna Niequist author of  Bread & Wine - The Gaia Cafe is a fantastic vegetarian hippie restaurant in Grand Rapids, Michigan and their famous for their cookies. This isn’t Gaia’s actual recipe, just my best approximation.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients
1/2 lb butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup coconut
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped dates, raisins, dried cherries, or cranberries, or any combination

Instructions

1. Preheat ove to 350°.
2. Cream together butter and brown sugar.
3. Add eggs and vanilla, and mix well.
4. Add flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and mix well.
5. Add coconut, walnuts, chocolate chips, and dates or other dried fruit. Mix until combined.
6. Drop tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, 8 per sheet. Refrigerate for a few minutes so the dough doesn’t spread out too quickly while baking. 
7. Bake for 14 to 16 minute or until golden.