Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Cookies

I have been a little bit slow in posting this recipe. It is from a while ago, when the weather was just starting to feel like autumn.   There's something about baking cookies that just makes you feel warm and cozy.  Especially when they are cookies that involve brown sugar, cinnamon, and cranberries: all cold weather flavours in my opinion.

The actual combination of almonds and cranberries in these cookies came from a good friend.  I knew I had a hankering to make oatmeal cookies, but I didn't want them to be just ordinary oatmeal cookies.  So I polled my Facebook friends and this suggestion won out (thanks Kat!).

That's another thing I love about cookies.  You can use your favourite cookie recipe, the one you use all the time, and make it something completely new and exciting by adding a few extra flavours.  Many cookie recipes such as oatmeal, chocolate chip, sugar, etc., are just a blank (delicious and sweet) vehicle to carry the flavours of the season.

And that's what this recipe was: my go-to oatmeal cookie recipe with additional dried cranberries and blanched almonds.  So cozy-up and enjoy!

Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Cookies 
(Adapted from Joy of Baking) 

3/4 cup room temperature butter
1 cup packed brown sugar (I use light or dark, whatever I have)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup slices blanched almonds (you can toast them if you feel up to it!)
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth.

Beat in the egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and beat until combined. 

Stir in the cranberries and almonds.

Drop the cookies by tablespoonful (or more if you want large cookies) about two inches apart onto parchment lined baking sheets.  Flatten slightly so that the cookies are about 1/2 inch thick.  

Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown around the edges but still soft in the center. 

Let cool on the cookies sheets until firm enough to transfer without sagging (the perils of making chewy cookies).

Cool completely on a wire rack. 
 

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in the nuts, oats, and dried cranberries or chocolate chips. 

For large cookies, use 1/4 cup of batter (I like to use an ice cream scoop) and space the cookies about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the baking sheet. Then wet your hand and flatten the cookies slightly with your fingers so they are about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Bake the cookies for about 12 - 15 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges but still soft and a little wet in the centers. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/OatmealCookies.html#ixzz2CcBXgW5t

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in the nuts, oats, and dried cranberries or chocolate chips. 

For large cookies, use 1/4 cup of batter (I like to use an ice cream scoop) and space the cookies about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the baking sheet. Then wet your hand and flatten the cookies slightly with your fingers so they are about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Bake the cookies for about 12 - 15 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges but still soft and a little wet in the centers. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/OatmealCookies.html#ixzz2CcBXgW5t

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in the nuts, oats, and dried cranberries or chocolate chips. 

For large cookies, use 1/4 cup of batter (I like to use an ice cream scoop) and space the cookies about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the baking sheet. Then wet your hand and flatten the cookies slightly with your fingers so they are about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Bake the cookies for about 12 - 15 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges but still soft and a little wet in the centers. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/OatmealCookies.html#ixzz2CcBXgW5t