SALTED OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES...

Hi!! Sorry for the silence over the past few days. The past few days have been full of lots of excitement, change, movement, and exhaustion. Nothing bad - all VERY good! But unfortunately for me, all of that happening in a very short period of time reeks havoc on my body and is the perfect storm for lingering migraines. I'm finally feeling better and will share more of what's going on tomorrow. But for now, I want to tell you about the BEST holiday cookies I think I've ever made. I've made lots of cookies, so that is a huge statement for me to make!

These oatmeal cookies are the first recipe I've made from Ina Garten's latest cookbook, "Make It Ahead." I think that is about the 5th time I've mentioned her book on the blog, but all of the recipes look so very good. And this one looks AND tastes good! Oatmeal cookies are holiday staples and I think this will be my go-to recipe for life. These cookies are really easy to make (always a plus) and can be made to be either chewy or thin and crispy. The make ahead version creates a chewy cookie with crisp edges (my favorite texture of cookie) which is what you see here. The cookie is moist in the center, chocolate-y, and slightly sweet from the dried cranberries. The cookie is topped with a few flecks of sea salt, which completely amplifies the flavors of the cookie. And the little crunch from the sides of the cookie- heaven. If you are an oatmeal cookie lover, this is it. This cookie is the one! Promise!

Here is what you need and what to do (makes 15-20 large cookies):

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 eggs, room temperature

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats

3/4 pound (12 oz bag) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup dried cranberries

Sea salt (Fleur de sel or Malden Salt)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 3 large sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside. If you want to make the chewy version, clear some space in the fridge for the sheet pans...

2. Add the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and scrape the bowl down again. 

3. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Add the oats to the flour mixture and stir. Turn the mixture on low speed and slowly add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat until everything is just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and dried cranberries using a rubber spatula until everything is well-combined. 

4. Use a 1 3/4 inch ice cream scoop or two spoons to create round balls of dough. Add them to the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle them lightly with sea salt. Go ahead and bake them at this point if you prefer a thin, crispy cookie. If you prefer the cookies to be chewy, then chill the balls of dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Bake either version for 10 to 12 minutes, or until browned. 

Enjoy!!

Images by me