Family Circle Oatmeal Cookies

I am not sure how I ended up with a subscription to Family Circle. It would not be my first - or tenth - choice in magazines and yet, I find myself flipping through it, usually walking away with inspiration. A lot of the articles are about child rearin', which, sorry to disappoint everyone, I'm not in the least interested in at this time. 

During the holidays, I ran across the ubiquitous cookie section and came upon these little gems. They're the kind of cookies you can amend a billion times and are really, really hard to screw up. They're also satisfying in ones or twos - you don't feel like eating 1000 of them. Or at least I don't. Maybe I haven't made them under giant emotional disturbances, though...hmmm.

- Time out: Can we all talk about how the estimated number of cookies that the recipe states is NEVER correct? I usually come out with far fewer cookies than the recipe says but it is absolutely never the same amount. -

OK, back to cookies.

Here's the recipe:
Set oven to 350degrees

3/4c all-purpose flour
1/2tsp baking soda
1/4tsp salt
1/2c (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (I usually leave salted butter on the counter - who's perfect?)
1/2c packed light brown sugar
1/4c plus 3tbsp pure maple syrup
1 egg
1&1/2c quick-cooking oats
1/2c raisins (I usually use more)
1c confectioners' sugar

Heat oven to 350degrees. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat butter, sugar and 1/4c of the maple syrup for 3 minutes. Beat in egg until just combined. Pour in flour and beat on low until just combined. Stir in raisins and oats.

Drop scant tablespoon-sized rounds of batter onto baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350degrees for 12-14 minutes until golden. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a bowl, beat confectioners' sugar, remaining 3tbsp maple syrup and 1tbsp water on low until well combined. Slip a sheet of wax paper under the cooling rack and drizzle the frosting with a spoon.

For some friends, we add extra raisins, for some we withhold the frosting. These could easily be made vegan and they stay super moist for like a week.