December 12, 2013

12 Days of Cookies
( + Oatmeal-Cranberry Cookies with White Chocolate Chunks )




What is it that's so delightful about a cookie the size of your head?






Give one to a child, and his eyes get as big as...well, as big as the cookie.  He starts to hyperventilate a little.  Arms and legs start to flail around like a drunken hummingbird trying to get off the ground.

Eventually he just lets loose, spinning in circles and hooting at the ceiling, ripping off his clothes in triumph like Brandy Chastain. 




The same thing happens to adults, but they expend immense amounts of energy trying to contain it so that they don't look undignified in front of Doris from Accounting.

If you're looking for some entertainment this holiday season, give an adult a plate-size cookie unexpectedly and then just step back and watch the emotions flit across his face as he tries to control himself.




These particular plate-sized cookies are filled with dried cranberries and chunks of white chocolate, and just enough oatmeal to give them a little extra body - not enough to make them feel healthy.  Not trying to ruin your holiday here.  

They're chewy with a nice touch of crunch around the outside edges, and would be great for everyday eating - but with a layer of additional white chocolate spread across their bottoms, they become fancy enough for holiday giving.

I suggest taking them to the office.  You know, for the entertainment value alone.





Oatmeal-Cranberry Cookies 
with White Chocolate Chunks
barely adapted from Cuisine at Home

Flour  [ 2 cups ]
Baking Soda  [ 1 teaspoon ]
Baking Powder  [ 1 teaspoon ]
Salt  [ 1/2 teaspoon ]
Unsalted Butter  [ 1 cup, softened ]
Sugar  [ 1 cup ]
Brown Sugar  [ packed, 1 cup ]
Eggs  [ 2 ]
Vanilla Extract  [ 1 teaspoon ]
Old-Fashioned Oats  [ 3 cups ]
Dried Cranberries  [ 1 cup ]
White Chocolate  [ 6 ounces, coarsely chopped ]

White Chocolate  [ additional for dipping, chopped, at least 8 ounces ]


Make Cookies:
1.   Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.   Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
3.   In a medium bowl, sift together Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Salt.
4.   In the bowl of a mixer, combine Butter, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Eggs and Vanilla.  Mix on High speed
         until light and fluffy.
5.   Add in Flour Mixture; stir by hand with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until thoroughly blended.
6.   Again by hand, stir in the Oats, Cranberries, and White Chocolate until evenly distributed
         throughout Dough.
7.   Form 3-tablespoon balls of the Dough and place them 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
8.   Bake until golden but still moist  [ about 10-12 minutes ].
9.   Allow to cool on pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.     

Finish Cookies:
10.   Place White Chocolate in a small, shallow bowl and melt in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds,
             until completely smooth.
11.   With a butter knife or similar tool, spoon a dollop of White Chocolate onto bottom of cookie and spread
           to cover.  Place upside-down on waxed paper or parchment to set.  Repeat with remaining cookies.  


Makes about 48 cookies.


Like Your Cranberries Savory Instead?
Cranberry-Chipotle Meatballs with Pineapple

No comments:

Post a Comment