CRANBERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES

Last week I asked a friend what I should bake that night.  He suggested oatmeal raisin cookies.  I am NOT a fan of raisins, so I figured I could put chocolate chips in the cookies instead.  As I started on the recipe, I wondered how it would be with cranberries in them as well.  The recipe I used was the Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, from Allrecipes.com.

INGREDIENTS:

1 C. butter, softened

1 C. packed light brown sugar

1/2 C. white sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3 C. quick-cooking oats

1 C. chopped walnuts

1 C. semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars until smooth.  Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended.  Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips.  Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.

(I modified the recipe according to a suggestion in the recipe review.  I increased the flour by 1/2 C. and baking soda by 1/2 tbs, and cut the salt by 1/2 tsp.  I substituted the cranberries for the walnuts).

3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven.  Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  (I only cooked mine for about 10 1/2 minutes, I like a softer cookie).

                                   

The original recipe makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies.  I prefer smaller cookies, and I was able to get about 6 dozen cookies.  I hope you enjoy these cookies, I did!