Cranberry Coconut and Almond Oatmeal Cookies

 

Cranberry Coconut and Almond Oatmeal Cookies

Whether you like your cookies crispy, chewy, or cake-like making the perfect homemade cookie requires the correct ratio of ingredients, the right technique, and using the proper baking tools. This oatmeal cookie is more like a mini scone, light and crumbly on the outside with a tender moist cookie inside. It includes healthy ingredients like oatmeal, almonds, flaxseed, unsweetened coconut, and cranberries. This recipe makes 18 (2 inch) cookies, but can easily be doubled. These cookies taste best from the oven and can be stored in a tightly sealed container for up to one week.

Tips to making cake-like cookies

1. Use softened butter. Having all your ingredients at room temperature will help your cookie dough to blend together more evenly.
2. Use less granulated sugar and more brown sugar.
3. Increase the baking powder and use less baking soda.
4. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add milk and mix alternately with the  flour.
5. Chilling the dough will help the cookies retain their shape. Refrigerate dough for a minimum of 2 hours prior to baking.

Healthy ingredients: unsweetened coconut, ground flaxseed, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, old fashioned oatmeal

Cranberry Coconut and Almond Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon extra fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons unsalted butter)

3/8 cup light brown sugar

1/8 cup granulated white sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups old-fashioned oatmeal

1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Equipment: ice cream scooper (2 inch), parchment paper, stand mixer, small and medium mixing bowl, long handle spatula, cookie sheet, and cooling rack

Directions

1. In a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy about 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and sea salt together.
3. On slow speed add flour mixture alternately with milk to batter
4. In a small bowl mix oatmeal, coconut, and flaxseed together and add to batter on slow speed of mixer.
5. Stir in almonds and cranberries.
6. Chill dough for 2 hours.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
8. Using the ice cream scooper portion level scoops of cookie dough 2 inches apart on to the cookie sheet.
9. Bake cookies for 12 to 14 minutes until edges become lightly brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 3 to5 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.