Oatmeal Cranberry & Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

by guest contributor RJ Lapierre

Maybe because Canadian Thanksgiving always falls on the same weekend as a local cranberry festival, but cranberries have always been a must have for me this time of year. And they have so many other uses than just for that traditional turkey side dish–cranberry sauce!

Like in these Oatmeal Cranberry & Chocolate Chip Cookies. Being packed full of oats and fruit, I’d serve these soft and chewy cookies up as a midday snack, or even for a day-after breakfast treat! There’s never a bad time for cookies! You could even serve them along with your Thanksgiving meal as an alternative to the ubiquitous pies.

Oatmeal Cranberry & Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

3 c. rolled oats
1 c. all-purpose flour
½ c. wheat germ
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 c. butter, softened
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 c. demerara brown sugar
1 1/3 c. dried cranberries
2/3 c. dark chocolate or carob chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.

2. In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. On low speed, stir into sugar mixture until just combined. Stir in cranberries and chocolate chips.

3. Place batter by heaping tablespoon onto parchment lined baking sheets, leaving aprox. 1-inch of space between each cookie. Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

4. Let cool on sheet for a minute or two before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes: If you don’t have wheat germ on hand you can substitute 1 ½ c. whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour + wheat germ.

About the contributor: RJ Lapierre is a jewelry designer, avid cook and baker, and blogger. She lives in small-town Ontario, Canada with her husband Eric and is excited to be expanding her little family in January. RJ shares delicious, and usually healthy, recipes on her blog When in Season.