Instructions: 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and adjust the rack to the center position. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a reusable non-stick liner such as Silpat.

2. In a medium saucepan bring the sugar, corn syrup and butter to a simmer and cook for 6 minutes stirring frequently. Watch carefully as the pot can boil over easily. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, cream, salt and flour. Whisk, do not stir, until smooth to incorporate lumps of flour. Add the pecans and oats and stir to combine.

3. Drop rounded teaspoons of batter in staggered rows onto the sheet leaving 3 inches between cookies. (This small amount of batter will spread a lot.) Bake until the cookies are thin, lacy, have almost stopped bubbling and are slightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Keep a close watch on these cookies as they are baking to avoid overcooking.

4. Let cool on sheets for a minute or so and then shape or transfer to a cooling rack. If shaped cookies are desired, drape them over rolling pins or wine bottles or wrap them around the handle of a wooden spoon. You have to work quickly, otherwise the cookies will set up and become hard. Repeat until all the batter is used. After completely cooled, store in an airtight container.

Makes about 36 to 48 cookies, depending on size.

NOTES : The objective with this recipe was to produce a cookie that was neither a candy, nor greasy, nor a real cookie. Pecan lace cookies should be thin, lacy and not hard, but not cakey, either. The secret is corn syrup and just the right amount of butter and flour. These cookies can be shaped by draping the hot cookies (let cool for about 1 minute before shaping) over rolling pins, wine bottles, or, for a cigarette shape, around a thin dowel or the handle of a wooden spoon. Note that the amount of time the cookies should cool before shaping will depend on how long they are baked and how hot your oven is. You may find that they should cool for only 15 or 20 seconds.

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