In honor of National Cookie Month [1], Sugar staffer Nancita [2] decided to resurrect a recipe she "invented" at age 5. Since I know you guys like snickerdoodles [3], I thought you would appreciate this story.

Writes Nancita:

I invented this recipe when I was five, after first encountering a Snickerdoodles cookie. I thought it was a funny name and wanted to come up with my own cookie with a silly name. I called them cuckooheads and suggested the main ingredients: almonds, raisins, and caramels; my mom put together the recipe.

While it's definitely an unlikely set of ingredients — a bit cuckoo, if you will — Nancita assures me that these cookies are chock full of gooey goodness. To get the recipe,

Cuckooheads

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar (light)
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 large eggs
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups caramels, snipped into sixths (use a pair of oil kitchen shears to cut them)
1 cup toasted slivered almonds

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, both sugars, and almond extract in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture, then raisins, caramels, and nuts.

Using a spoon, scoop out the dough and form it into tight balls, keeping the caramel away from the edges. Place balls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until golden brown. Let stand for two minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.