Cranberry & White Chocolate Chip Oaties

The oatmeal cookie gets unfairly overlooked. It sits next to chocolate chip and snickerdoodle at the cookie table and somehow gets chosen last and I've never understood it. A well-made oatmeal cookie has a chew and heartiness that nothing else quite replicates, and the toppings you pair with it matter enormously in how it's received.

Cranberry and white chocolate is one of those combinations that genuinely elevates the humble oatmeal base. The tart, chewy dried cranberry plays perfectly against the sweet, creamy white chocolate chip, and both are surrounded by oat-heavy cookie dough that's more substantial than a typical sugar cookie. These pair well with a jar of Vanilla Bean Brown Sugar Almond Butter spread a little between two cookies for a sandwich version that's even better. And if you love oatmeal in desserts, my Oatmeal Cookie Apple Crisp is another great expression of these flavours.

The Key to Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

Brown sugar rather than white brown sugar's molasses content contributes moisture and a deeper flavour that white sugar can't replicate. Melted butter rather than creamed butter produces a denser, chewier texture. And underbaking slightly pulling the pan out when the centres still look barely set is the single most important step. The cookies continue cooking on the hot pan for a few minutes after coming out of the oven, and that residual heat is what creates the perfect texture. Overbaked oatmeal cookies are just crunchy, which misses the whole point.

Use old-fashioned rolled oats rather than quick oats. The larger flakes give visible structure and better texture in the finished cookie.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, oil, and brown sugar. Mix on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, stopping once or twice to scrape the sides of the bowl.
3. Add applesauce, egg white, and vanilla, and mix to combine. Add flour, rolled oats, salt, and cinnamon, and mix just until combined.
4. With a rubber spatula, fold in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.
5. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or a piece of parchment paper. Using a mini ice cream scoop, spoon dough onto a lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
6. Bake for about 12 minutes, until golden-brown around the sides but soft in the center. Let cool on a cooling rack.

Estimated Nutrition Per Serving (1 cookie)

• Calories: 130 kcal
• Total Fat: 6g
  • Saturated Fat: 3.5g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 20mg
• Sodium: 80mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 18g
  • Dietary Fiber: 1g
  • Sugars: 10g
• Protein: 2g

• Saturated Fat: 3.5g
• Trans Fat: 0g

• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 10g

Please note that these nutrition estimates are approximate and can vary based on the specific ingredients and brands used in the recipe.