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Friday, June 18, 2010

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies


I was itching to bake one day. Itching. But I knew I was also too lazy to go out and get ingredients at the store - I basically wanted to bake in my pajamas without having to change. Solution? Rummage around the house to see what's available. 


I wanted to use up the white chocolate that I bought extra the last time I made the Earl Grey White Chocolate Chunk Muffins, so I went to allrecipes.com, typed in "white chocolate" in the ingredient search field, and found this Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies. Perfect! My mom has a huge bag of Craisins that she uses for her biscotti, and my house always has oats because my parents sometimes make oatmeal for breakfast.




I didn't think that these cookies will turn out great. Actually, I don't know why that is. I guess psychologically, there were a few reasons:


1) I wanted to bake and these cookies will merely satisfy this craving of mine;
2) I didn't purposely look for this recipe beforehand with the desire of wanting to make the cookies; and
3) I was using ingredients that were easily accessible - they were just lying around the house and I did not have to purposely go out and fetch them.


Somehow, these reasons degraded my expectation for these cookies. But you know what? I realize these thoughts does not make sense at all because these cookies turned out great.  I LOVE them! They turned out high (I am not a fan of flat-looking cookies) and super soft. The tangy cranberries also complemented so well with the sweet white chocolate chunks, and the oats provided a chewy texture. I want to make these again soon.




Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies - adapted from allrecipes.
(Yields 24 cookies)


Ingredients


  • 2/3 cup butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
  • 2/3 cups coarsely chopped white chocolate
Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one cup at a time. Combine oats, flour, salt, and baking soda; stir into butter mixture one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries an white chocolate.

3.  Drop by rounded teaspoon onto cookie sheets.


4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.


I highly recommend these cookies!

By the way, just want to end this post with a picture of my mom's new Kitchen Aid stand mixer. This was my first time using it since I usually bake at my boyfriend's place (instead of at home) with the older Kitchen Aid red stand mixer that my mom gave me before getting this one.

Isn't she a beauty? =)