chunky cranberry chocolate chip cookies

soft, chewy, and loaded with goodies

I probably didn't need to make cookies so soon after Christmas (let's be honest, there was lots of baking and consuming of sweets over the holidays!) - but I couldn't resist baking up these cookies when I got back to my own kitchen and oven:)

what you need:

*makes about 30 cookies

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 egg
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar and white sugar. 
3. Combine flours, baking soda, salt and rolled oats in a separate bowl.
4. Add egg, vanilla, and milk to butter mixture, then stir in dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Add chocolate chips and cranberries and mix.  
5. Using your hands, form cookie dough balls (about half the size of a golf ball) - and place on lined cookie sheets.  Bake for 10 minutes, the edges will be golden brown but the centres still light coloured (this ensures it stays soft and chewy).  Remove as soon as they are cool to handle and allow to cool completely on a rack before storing in an airtight container.  Enjoy!

cranberry fudge oatmeal cookies

crunchy outside, chewy inside, full of flavour and texture

These cookies were a perfect snack yesterday after a few hours of snow shoeing!  

I adapted this recipe from Canadian Foodnetwork host Anna Olson's oatmeal raisin cookies.

What you need:

• 1 1/2 cup dry oatmeal
• 1/2 cup APF, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3/5 cup unsalted butter, room temp (I know 3/5 sounds funny...see how to measure easily in random tips below)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 pinches cinnamon
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1/2 cup fudge bits (I used PC mini fudge melts) or chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Spread oatmeal onto a cookie sheet and toast lightly in the oven - this should only take a few minutes so keep a close eye on it to avoid burning.
3. Cream together butter and brown sugar until smooth, then add the egg, vanilla and molasses.
4. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt together.
5. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, mix with a wooden spoon until incorporated.
6. Add toasted oatmeal and mix. Do not over stir, it will make the cookies tough.
7. Add cranberries and fudge bits.  You can add more of either if desired.
8. Spoon cookie dough onto buttered baking sheet - you may have to gently pack them a little if they seem crumbly. 
9. Bake for about 8-12 minutes, depending on oven and how big you made the cookies.  The cookies will be slightly soft to touch at the centre but golden brown on the outsides when they are done.  
10. Transfer to a cooling rack! Enjoy!

Random Tips

• To get 3/5 cup butter easily: grab a stick of butter with the package still on (the package will indicate 1 cup measurement) - eyeball and score with a knife to divide it into 5, open the package and cut away 3/5 of your 1 cup.

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