Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies (aka Granola Bar Cookies)

Take a moment to think about everything you love about a granola bar, the chewiness, the flavors, the dried fruit and crunchy nuts. Now imagine that in cookie form. What do you get?  These! A loaded, perfectly spiced, chewy, deliciously sweet, thick oatmeal cookie!  They are most definitely one of my new favorite cookies. 

I created this recipe this past weekend because my brother and his family came to stay with us and I knew his favorite kind of cookie was oatmeal raisin cookies.  Of course I couldn't just stick with the plan ol' original oatmeal cookie, I had to spice it up and make it fancy =).  Try these and it's likely that your favorite oatmeal raisin cookie may just be pushed to second place.  Everyone loved these cookies!
Switch up this cookie as you wish. You could add milk or semi sweet chocolate chips in place of white chocolate chips. You could add in almonds for the nut and use 1/2 tsp almond extract along with 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Or, you could even change up the berry and try dried blueberries, mmm yes the blueberry and almond combo would be good together I'm going to have to try that next. Ahh yes or add some orange or lemon zest for a fresh citrus flavor (sorry I'm just thinking out loud in writing now =).  Make these exactly as written or add your own twist, either way I believe you are going to thoroughly enjoy these cookies!

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields about 3 dozen (about 34)


Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dried cranberries (such as Craisins), lightly chopped into smaller pieces
1 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds or macadamia nuts (optional)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, rolled oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy about 3-4 minutes.  Stir in eggs one at a time and vanilla.  Slowly add in flour mixture and mix until incorporated.  Add in dried cranberries, white chocolate chips and optional nuts.  Roll cookie dough into balls, about 2 Tbsp per ball, and drop onto buttered cookie sheets.  Bake 9 - 10 minutes until lightly golden.  Allow to cool several minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.  Store cookies in an airtight container.


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy