crunchy vanilla crisps with chocolate

This crunchy little vanilla cookie is totally addictive.Drizzled with chocolate, it's sweet and snackable, like something you'd buy in a box, but better.Despite the cookie's awesome vanilla-ness, there is not one drop of actual vanilla in the recipe.It's freaky, I know. And amazing.But true.To reach their full golden-hued potential, the cookies have to be fully baked.I shorted one batch by a minute or two and they turned out a little pale...a bit wanting, really.However, the rest of the batch got their full nine-minute turn in the oven.They caramelized. They got crunchy. They turned into bite-sized wafers worthy of a little chocolate love -- be it semi-sweet or maybe, next time, even a bit of white.These make awesome little sandwich cookies.We ended up eating the entire batch before I nailed the perfect filling though.Honestly, I don't feel too bad about it.They were perfect all by their lonesome. Brussels-Style Oat Crispsfrom Baking Unplugged, by Nicole Rees

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or a heaping 1/2 tsp. kosher salt)
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

For chocolate icing

• 4 oz. semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two or three baking pans with parchment paper.Melt the butter in a pot or in the microwave and allow to cool for about 2 minutes. Beat the egg, sugar and salt into the melted butter until well-combined. Fold in the flour and baking soda until just combined, then fold in the oats.Drop by half-teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking pans about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden-brown and dark around the edges, about 7 to 9 minutes. Do not underbake! Their flavor is best when they have fully caramelized around the edges. Allow cookies to cool on pans for 1 minute, then carefully lay parchment paper with cookies onto wire rack and let cookies cool on wire rack. Pull cookies from parchment after a couple of minutes.For chocolate icing, combine chocolate and shortening in a heat-safe bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir mixture until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for two or three minutes. Drizzle chocolate over top of cooled cookies.