White Chocolate & Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal cookies are so versatile.  Plain, with raisins, with butterscotch chips… But my favorite version, with cranberries and white chocolate, is just ever so slightly above butterscotch chips!  The best thing about this recipe, is that you can make all of those different kinds just from this single base recipe.  All you need to do is switch out what is added in, or take it all out for plain.  You can’t go wrong!

Even though this recipe makes a lot, I like to make the whole thing and then freeze half of it as ready-to-bake cookie dough balls (as I outlined near the end of my chocolate chip cookie post).  I also like to divide the dough into halves or thirds and make different varieties out of the same batch.

Begin by rounding up all of your ingredients, and bringing your butter to room temperature.

Beat together the butter and sugars.  When that’s all nice and fluffy, add the eggs and vanilla. Beat until well mixed.  Add the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and flour.  Mix slowly just until the flour is mixed in.

Add the oats and stir until mixed.  Last, add the ingredients of your choice.  In this case, I chose to add 1 cup each of dried cranberries and 1 cup of white chocolate chips.

If you don’t like as many chunks of goodies in your cookies, use only 1 cup of one ingredient.  My suggestions (other than what I’m using here): butterscotch chips, raisins, chocolate chips… you really can be creative here.

Scoop the dough out onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten the dough slightly before baking.

Cool on wire racks before storing at room temperature in an airtight container.

White Chocolate & Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
From your Everyday Home Cook

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups oats (old fashioned or quick cooking)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugars.  Beat until fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Beat until well mixed.  Add flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix just until blended.  Stir in oats, cranberries, and chocolate chips.  Scoop out onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.  Let cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Makes about 6 dozen.