I love making cookies.
And so this week, I’ve been making them like crazy! I hope your ready for an overload in that department.
If we’re being real here – and I hope we always are – it’s been a baking therapy kind of week. It keeps my mind busy. Distracted. Away from my cellphone, gchat, twitter, skype and facebook. Amen to that.
Cookies are a great distraction from the harder things in life. Because life – no matter how charmed, delightful, and wonderful it really is – is real. And real life means real emotions. Real life means accepting answers you may not like, letting go of things you love, working really hard at working even harder, and keeping all your ducks in a row like a real grown up. And we all know being a grown up is hard work, man. Let’s be real on that one.
This is the part where we bake cookies and eat them and feel all better… edible inspiration.
Cookies are always the answer. Cookies are like magic for lifting any mood.
Compared to real life… a messy kitchen can seem like such a speck of an issue. Dirty dishes? No problem. That 5 lb. bag of flour spilling all over my floor, counters, and cat – totally fixable. Sorry cat…
In this cookie we have chocolate –Â 3 times: milk, semi sweet, and white melt together like magic. I love chocolate so much.
And there’s some cranberries too! Cranberries are tart. Cranberries are sweet. Cranberries are pretty little ruby gems. and I adore baking with them. They’re so unique.
Old fashioned oats and a touch of cinnamon combined with the crisp burst of berries and oozing chocolate bake up into one seriously beautiful cookie distraction.
You know what else makes a good distraction?
Good friends to share your cookies with.
It’s all good with cookies and friends. So friends: here’s some cookies.
Triple-Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies – adapted from Bon Appétit | December 2004
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2 ounces milk chocolate or white chocolate, chopped (for drizzling)
- BakerbyNature note: I had a lot of trouble melting down white chocolate chips; I would recommend either using white chocolate roughly chopped then melted down, or just sticking with milk chocolate.
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture and oats and stir until blended. Stir in all chocolate chips and cranberries.
Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are light brown, about 16 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.
Stir chopped milk chocolate in top of double boiler until melted and smooth. Using small spoon, drizzle melted chocolate over cookies in zigzag pattern. Let stand until milk chocolate sets, about 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)
Tommy says
Cookies ARE always the answer! These look great. Love the 3 kinds of chocolate and the oatmeal.
bakerbynature says
Triple chocolate makes me quite happy 🙂
Jay says
wow…sounds scrumptiously tasty..
awesome presentation..with great cliks..
first time here…love your space..
happy to subscribe u..;)
do stop by mine sometime..
Tasty Appetite
bakerbynature says
Hi Jay. I’m so glad you have been enjoying your time here, and thank you for your kind words.
Sippitysup says
Messy kitchens can be a distraction from the “real” as well. They are not as delicious as cookies, so I like your distraction better. GREG
bakerbynature says
So true, Greg. I’ve actually been avoiding the eye sore mountain of pots and pans just waiting to distract me from real life this morning.
Charles says
I tend to avoid making too many cookies and cakes – it’s much too much of a test of my already weak willpower. These are beautiful though – don’t suppose you take orders to ship by mail? 😀
bakerbynature says
For you, Charles, I would try my best 🙂
JamieAnne says
Wow, these look amazing!
bakerbynature says
Thanks, Jamie Anne! I wish I had a way to share them with everyone.
My Inner Chick says
“””Cookies are a great distraction from the harder things in life””””
Soooooooo true. Beautifully said….. Baking cookies has been my therapy, my great distraction.
Cranberries. Chocolate. Cinnamon.
The combination is like the scents of my childhood.
I put this in my faves. Can’t wait to make them. DeLish. thank you! x
bakerbynature says
Yay! You’re going to love them 🙂
Kelly @ Free Spirit Food says
Yum! I love cranberries baked into holiday goodies! Definitely a treat.
bakerbynature says
Cranberries instantly transport me into the holiday spirit, love em!
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
Oh my… these cookies look soooo good! If I bake these I know I will lose my control and finish the whole batch before I give away to someone else…. how do you even control your desire to eat these. I’m so scared to bake because of that. I love sweets and bad part is I have absolutely no control (with confidence). Sigh. These cookies are one of the best cookies I’ve seen lately. Yum!
bakerbynature says
Nami – I wish I could say I have self control, but I try not to lie…
Make them and freeze half the batch, that way you only do partial diet damage 🙂
lena says
give me a couple of these and i’ll be contented for the rest of the day!!
bakerbynature says
Amen to that!
Rach says
Mmm these look delicious!
bakerbynature says
Thanks, Rach. They were quite the decadent treat.