Cranberry and Oatmeal Cookies

Autumn is upon us and with it, the distant bells of the Christmas season. Get into the season’s spirit by trying out these delicious cookies. They’re loaded with the fibre and goodness of oats, with a delicious and healthy sprinkling of dried cranberries. For those wanting to indulge, additional nuts and/or chocolate chips can be added for added crunch and decadence.

Ingredients –

• 1 cup dried cranberries (rehydrate them by soaking in hot water)
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups instant or old fashioned oats
• 1 cup butter
• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional addition)

Method –

• Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line your baking tray with foil or parchment paper.
• In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar with an electric whisk. This can also be done by hand if needed.
• Once the mixture is light and fluffy, add in one egg at a time. Make sure each egg is whisked in entirely before adding in the next one.
• Mix in the vanilla extract.
• Stir in the oats, followed by the flour and baking powder.
• Using a spatula, ensure everything is combined well. Make sure no pockets of dry flour remain in the dough.
• If you choose to, now is the time to add in the chopped nuts and/or chocolate chips.
• Ideally, the mixture should be chilled for half an hour in the fridge before it is divided into cookies. However, if you’re in a hurry, the step can be skipped
• Using a tablespoon, dollop the mixture on to the baking tray, allowing ample space between each cookie for it to expand while baking.
• Bake each batch of cookies for 12-14 minutes or until they are lightly bronzed.
• Transfer them to a mesh rack to finish cooling before you eat them.