Cranberry-y Chocolate-y Oat-y Cookies

As I play Ultimate Frisbee, I go to a lot of tournaments. Last weekend we had women's university Nationals and my team, for the third year running, won! We are once again National Champions (if you are at all interested you can read about it here). I think it was the cookies. For tournaments we generally bring a lot of food as we are running around all day. I usually make something like brownies or flapjacks but after seeing this post from my favourite food blogger I decided to make these gorgeous Cranberry Chocolate Oat Cookies. Because I am trying to be more healthy at the moment (more on that soon..here is a sneak preview) I modified the recipe in attempt to make them more healthy. 

These cookies are GOOD. These are honestly the first cookies that I have ever made, by myself, that I have been pleased with. My cookies always go wrong (see here!). These were so unbelievably perfect I found myself eating more than I probably should have. The recipe is easy and the only real difference I noticed between my numerous failed cookie attempts and this one was that the batter was that much more solid.



If I did them again I would probably add another half cup of oats as they definitely could have been more oaty. The second time I made these I added flaked almonds which worked really well. I also baked mine longer as I much prefer crunchy cookies over soft. If you want them soft, I would go with 12-15 minutes baking time as he suggested. My modified and more healthy version is below. Enjoy!

Cranberry-y Chocolate-y Oat-y Cookies
Makes about 20 cookies
2 C wholemeal bread flour
1 C rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking/bicarbonate soda
1 teaspoon salt
250g butter at room temperature 
1 1/2 C muscavado sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 C dark chocolate chips
1 C dried cranberries
1/4 C flaked almonds (my addition but worked really well)

Preheat your oven to 220C/ 325F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir the flour with the oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. 

Beat the butter and sugar in a mixer or by hand until light and fluffy. Add the egg and the egg yolk and beat until combined, scraping down the bowl as necessary. 

Beat in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then add the chocolate chips and cranberries and beat just until incorporated.

Make mounds of dough on the cookie sheet and flatten with your hand. Keep them 2 inches apart because they’ll spread.  (If you don’t want to bake them all now, put one cookie sheet in the freezer and pluck off the frozen cookie blobs and place in a freezer bag for another time.)

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cookies begin to brown at the edges and let cool.

And voila, perfect delicious cookies that are just about healthy enough to eat a few of..