White Chocolate-Dipped Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

For most of us, the Christmas season is packed full of family traditions. We look forward to celebrating with our family, friends, and communities. No Holiday season is complete without feasting on some of our favorite snacks and treats.

I was blessed to work as a library assistant at my local library for several years. Every holiday season, the library staff would make homemade treats for our community to show our appreciation for their patronage and support throughout the year. We called the event “Community Christmas,” and patrons from all over our county would visit our library and enjoy warm conversation, laughter, and great food. 

Several years passed, and we began to have more and more people show up for our community Christmas party every year. What started as the staff preparing special treats for our patrons turned into a time when our patrons began to share their favorite recipes and unique homemade delights with the library staff. We looked forward to various chocolate candies, cakes, and cookies during the season.  

So many tasty recipes from our beloved patrons came through the doors of my special library. A staff favorite soon became the white chocolate-dipped oatmeal cranberry cookies our friend Gary brought to the library. They soon became a favorite not only of library staff but also of my family. I hope you enjoy these delicious cookies, and perhaps you can start a new cookie tradition with your family this year.  

White Chocolate Dipped Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

One large egg

One tablespoon of vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

One teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups sweetened dried cranberries 

1 1/2 cups pecan pieces, toasted

1 1/4 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats

3 (4 oz) white chocolate baking bars, coarse lay chopped

Three tablespoons shortening

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating well. Add egg and vanilla, beating until blended.

Combine flour and the following three ingredients; gradually add to the butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in cranberries, pecans, and oats.

Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 2” apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cook on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cook thoroughly. 

Microwave white chocolate and shortening in a medium microwave bowl on HIGH for 1 minute or until the chocolate melts, stirring once. Dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Place the dipped cookies on wax paper and let them stand until firm.

Yield:  about four dozen.

*Note:  In place of the dried cranberries, I used Craisins.  

Enjoy!

See you in the field, 

Susan