Chocolate-Dipped Oatmeal Lace Cookies

This is your sophisticated oatmeal cookie. A delicate presentation perfect for a girls luncheon or dinner party dessert with fruit. Recipe adapted from The Best of Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library: Desserts.

Total Time: 1.5 hours (-ish)
Bake: 10-11 minutes (per tray of 6 cookies)
Yield: 2 dozen

Ingredients

Cookie:
3/4 c sugar

3/4 c quick-cooking rolled oats

3/4 c unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 T unsalted butter, melted*

1/4 c whole milk

1/4 unsulfured light molasses

1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Coating (~ 3/4c):

8oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp shortening

1/4 c sliced almonds


*Note: The original recipe calls for 1/2 c plus 2T of melted butter. I overlooked the "1/2 c" part and only ended up using 2T. I think they still taste great! 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (if you use aluminum foil, it will stick and be trickier to remove cookies without getting foil flakes stuck... been there, done that).
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, oats, flour, and baking powder. Add the melted butter, milk, molasses, and vanilla. Stir until just blended. Let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile start your chocolate.
3. Combine chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl placed over (but not touching) simmering water. OR, combine chocolate and shortening in the top pan of a double broiler. Melt over (but not touching) simmering water just until smooth, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
4. Back to the cookie dough. Drop tablespoons of batter onto the prepared baking sheets. Form rounds 1 inch in diameter and space them 3 inches apart. I conservatively fit 6 cookies per sheet. 
5. Bake until browner at the edges, 10-11 minutes. Slide off the parchment paper with the cookies onto a work surface. Let cool completely. Gently peel the cookies from the paper.
6. Using a spoon, layer a little chocolate on half a cookie and spread evenly with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle on some sliced almonds. The almonds stick to the melty chocolate. 
7. Chill cookies on paper in fridge until chocolate sets, about 20 minutes. 
8. Gently remove cookies from paper. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.