Totoro Family Recipes: Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Several years ago I decided to add variety to our traditional Christmas cookie platter.

I originally found this on All-Recipes. However, I wanted to make it more festive for the holidays, so I changed a little here and there, to the point that this could almost be considered a Totoro original.

This recipe makes a LOT of cookies - between 60-65! I often make the entire recipe and freeze half  OR... I half the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups white chocolate chips (I use half the amount!)
• 1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts work well)
• 1 cup dried cranberries - craisins (my addition)
• 1/2 cup toasted coconut (my addition)

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugars until smooth.
2. Stir in the eggs and vanilla.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add oatmeal to the mix.
4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
5. Stir in the white chocolate chips, nuts, craisins, and coconut.
6. Drop by spoonfuls on prepared sheet.
7. Bake at 350 approximately 11-12 minutes.
8. Cool on rack before icing.

Icing:

For extra decadence - and a bit of orange flavor - I drizzle icing over top.

Icing is simply a mixture of orange juice and powdered sugar to desired consistency. I like to use frozen Orange Juice concentrate diluted with just a little water - it makes for a stronger orange flavor.

This post is part of BethFishRead's Weekend Cooking Link-Up. For more delicious recipes, please visit her weekly blog feature.