Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
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These Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies are soft and chewy, perfectly spiced, dotted with juicy sweet and tangy dried cranberries. If you are not a fan of dried cranberries, use this oatmeal cookies recipe as the base for other add-ins.
Oatmeal cookies are a timeless classic. They are one of the sweet treats that I have been enjoying since childhood. I love all kinds of oatmeal cookies, but I know that some people hate raisins in their oatmeal cookies.
The oatmeal cookies I am sharing here are soft and chewy through the center with crispy edges. The flavor is a warm blend of nutty oats and brown sugar, with hints of cinnamon, and studded with plump sweet-tangy dried cranberries. This is my favorite oatmeal cookie recipe and always sure to satisfy my cookie cravings.
Choosing the Oats
There is quite a selection when it comes to choosing oats from rolled oats, quick-cooking oats, and instant oats.
- Rolled oats are less processed than quick oats, thus retaining more nutrients. When you make oatmeal cookies with rolled oat, the whole oats are clearly visible in the cookies and the cookies’ texture is slightly chewy.
- Quick-cooking oats are rolled oats that have been broken down into smaller pieces and enables them to cook more quickly. They have a slightly finer texture and cookies that are made with this type of oats tend to look prettier because they give a baked good a very uniform texture. I
- Instant oats are much finer than quick-cooking oats and it simply needs hot water added. They tend to absorb more moisture and can alter the texture of the cookies.
Rolled oats and quick-cooking oats are great for oatmeal cookies. A lot of recipes will call for rolled oats for a chewier texture. However, I personally like to use quick-cooking oats for cookies as they tend to be more uniform and softer. Honestly, no matter which oat you choose, the cookies are going to taste incredible. It is just a texture preference.
Optional Mix-Ins
Today’s Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies is my favorite base oatmeal cookies recipe. If you are not a fan of dried cranberries, use this oatmeal cookies recipe as the base for other add-ins with the same volume provided in the recipe.
- Chocolate chips
- Chocolate chunks
- Seeds
- Chopped nuts
- Coconut flakes
- Other dried fruits
More Oatmeal Cookie Recipes
If you are a fan of oatmeal cookies, make sure to check out these recipes!
- Oat Flour Double Chocolate Cookies
- Eggless Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Crunchy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Almond and Raisin Oatmeal Cookies
- Almond Miso Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (225 gr) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100 gr) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (150 gr) light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240 gr) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 cups (280 gr) quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup (140 gr) dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/180°C. Prepare 2 baking sheets and grease or line them with parchment papers.
- Soak the dried cranberries in warm water. Set aside.
- With a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until incorporated. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
- In a different bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Stir in the dry ingredient into the wet ingredient.
- Drain and dry the cranberries with a paper towel. With a spatula, stir in the oats and cranberries until incorporated.
- Chill the dough for 1 hour to prevent the cookies from spreading.
- With an ice cream scoop (about 2 tablespoons), drop the dough on prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches apart. You may flatten the dough ball with a fork (optional).
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Love these cookies!