Masala oatmeal cookies

Cookies
These are inspired by a recipe by the lovely Courtney Gibbons, a fine mathematician and flavorwright (despite her unfortunate aversion to delicious animals). The recipe was originally vegan, and as such required some ingredients like flaxseed that I don't regularly stock. I've made a few adjustments to make it work as an animal-derived recipe, and added my own goofy spice twist.

• 3/4 c. olive oil (avoid extra-virgin, as you don't want your cookies to taste like olives)
• 1 1/3 c. sugar
• 1 tbsp. thick sweetened (with honey) balsamic reduction (sub. extra tsp molasses if necessary)
• 1 tsp. molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp. good-quality vanilla extract (yes, really! I know it's a lot!)
• 1/2 tbsp. almond extract
• 2 tsp. good-quality garam masala (making your own is relatively easy and entirely worthwhile)
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/3 c. whole wheat flour (can substitute white all-purpose flour if necessary)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 c. quick oats
• 1/2 c. flake coconut
• 8 oz. chocolate chips

Cream oil and sugar in electric mixer. Add balsamic syrup, molasses, and egg, then mix until blended. Add milk, flavor extracts, and masala spice. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt, then add slowly. Mix well. Add oats, coconut, and chocolate chips. Once combined, place on ungreased baking sheet by large teaspoonsful, then bake at 350°F for 9–13 minutes until dry at surface and firm. Set pans out to cool in air until cookies are touchably warm, then transfer to cooling rack with a thin peel or spatula. Let cool completely. Eat.

Cinnamon-balsamic syrup
This is wonderful for a variety of applications &mdash you can drizzle it over ice cream or hot pastry, put it in baked goods, or whatever. Can't go wrong with a little balsamic, I say.

• 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 c. honey (or white sugar)
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• 2 tbsp. water

Combine all ingredients in heavy saucepan. Bring to boil, then simmer gently until reduced to a thick syrup, stirring often to avoid scorching. Remove from heat, let cool, and store at room temperature in an airtight container (if refrigerated, this turns into a horrible sludge that's rather hard to reconstitute).