Oatmael Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Crystallized Ginger

If you invite me to dinner, I will bring the cookies. Here are a few I set aside for the children. I'm bringing the rest to a friend's house tonight:

Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Crystallized Ginger
Makes 32 large cookies

I like to bake with sweet-and-spicy crystallized ginger at this time of year. Provisions (7 Main Street; 725-3636) sells the best ginger, moist cubes that they keep in a bin with the other bulk foods in the back of the store. I drive to Citarella's or King Kullen to buy Ghirardelli 60% Cacao chocolate chips.

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
1 1/2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Cream the melted butter and sugars together in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and ginger. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 10 minutes (or up to 6 hours) to let the dough firm up.
3. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches between each cookie. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges but still soft on top, 13 to 15 minutes. Let them stand on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove them with a metal spatula to a wire rack to cool completely.