SANDRA’S WHITE CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY OATMEAL COOKIES

The indulgent white chocolate

nicely enhances the sweet-tart cranberries

and crunchy oatmeal...

I was feeling creative today, and this new cookie recipe rocks! I’ll be sending these delectable treats along with my husband and a few other family members while they head out on an Alaskan road trip over the next several days.

Yields: (3.5 to 4 doz.)

Prep: 15 Mins.

Bake: 12 to 14 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

1 (11 oz. pkg.) white chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)

1 cup dried cranberries

1-1/4 cups quick-cooking oats

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper (you can reuse while baking additional batches).

Beat butter on medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating well. Add eggs and vanilla extract, beating until blended.

Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, then beat just until blended (do not over beat or cookies will become tough). Using a spoon, fold in white chocolate chips, cranberries, and oats until incorporated.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet 2" apart.

Bake cookies 12 to 14 minutes, until light golden brown around edges. Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes, and transfer to wire rack to cool completely. ~ Enjoy!

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Tip: I did a test by placing a batch of cookies on a cold baking sheet  into a hot oven vs a hot baking sheet  into a hot oven (as most do when they pull a previous batch out) and the difference was amazing.  Cookies baked on the cold baking sheet into a hot oven produced perfect results with lighter, thicker and uniform cookies, although the hot baking sheet into a hot oven produced flatter, unappealing spread out cookies that were way too crisp to my surprise.

SANDRA’S CHRISTMAS SNICKERDOODLES

Children would love to help 
you make these festive cookies...

Yields: 5 Doz.
Prep: 20 Mins. |
Bake: 10 to 12 Mins.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine-grain kosher salt

--Red, green, and yellow decorating sugar; each mixed with a pinch of cinnamon

METHOD:

Mix each of the three colored sugars into separate, small bowls; add cinnamon, and toss to combine. Set aside. (Or, 1/2 cup granulated white sugar with 3 tsp ground cinnamon.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a Silpat liner.

With a hand mixer, blend together the butter and granulated sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and mix to incorporate. Sift into another medium bowl the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Using a wooden spoon, mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, until incorporated.

Roll the dough into 1” balls, and alternately coat the outside of each with the different colored cinnamon/sugars (see photograph above); or plain cinnamon sugar.

Place cookies onto a baking sheet spaced 1” apart, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes; remove to a cooling rack, and repeat until dough is gone. Store in an airtight container. ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA'S CINNAMON and RAISIN SODA SWEET BREAD

How much better can it get than this?
You gotta try this recipe people!

Servings: (12)
--Best if served the next day
to allow flavors to meld!

Prep Time: 15 Mins. |
Cook Time: 1 Hr and 5 Mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

-3 cups all-purpose flour
-1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-2 teaspoons cinnamon
-½ teaspoon salt
-1 egg, beaten
-1/2 cup sugar
-2 cups milk
-1 cup raisins
-1/4 cup butter, melted

METHOD

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9”x5” loaf pan with oil, and set aside.

Sift through a sieve the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl.

In a small bowl blend the egg, sugar, and milk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture in large bowl. Mix just until moistened. Stir in raisins and melted butter, just until blended. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Wrap in foil overnight for best flavor before serving.


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Tip:  I like to spread these bread slices with cream cheese, butter, or jelly.

SANDRA'S CRANBERRY OATMEAL COOKIES

Lusciously addicting cookies...

Yields: (5 doz.)
Prep Time: 15 Mins. |
10 to 12 Mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

· 1 cup unsalted butter, at room. temp.
· 1 cup granulated sugar
· 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
· 3/4 cup vegetable oil
· 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
· 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
· 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
· 1 teaspoon baking soda
· ½ teaspoon baking powder
· 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (For my homemade spice blend, click here: Sandra's Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend)
· 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
· 1 cup craisins, chopped finer
· 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, chopped finer

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Set two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until fluffy, slowly add vegetable oil and beat until well incorporated and more fluffy (important). Add the applesauce, beaten eggs, and vanilla, and then beat just to combine.

With a sieve, sift over the bowl of wet ingredients the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Stir with a spoon just until mixed through. Add the oatmeal, craisins, and coconut; folding just to combine.

Spoon batter using a teaspoon (or a small scoop) onto a parchment –lined cookie sheet spaced 1" apart.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let stand a couple of minutes on cookie sheet prior to removing so they stay intact. Place another batch on the second parchment-lined baking sheet (you can do this while the prior batch is baking), and continue doing so until batter is gone.


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TIP: Try not to "overwork" the batter after adding dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, as doing so will result in tough cookies.