Molasses Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies - cooking recipe

Ingredients

16 tablespoons cool unsalted butter, cut into chunks, plus additional
unsalted butter, for greasing the baking sheet
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups rolled oats (do not use quick cooking)
2 cups dried cranberries

Preparation

Position oven rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 375\u00b0; lightly butter a large baking sheet; set aside.
In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.
Add in the sugar; beat until light, creamy, and pale yellow, about 3 minutes.
Add in molasses and beat until well combined, then beat in eggs one at a time; finally beat in the vanilla until smooth.
Turn off the beaters, add the prepared flour mixture, and beat at low speed just until a soft dough starts to form; there will be some dry patches of flour left.
Scrape down the beaters, remove them, and stir in the oats and dried cranberries with a wooden spoon, just until evenly distributed and the flour is fully moistened.
Mound by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 3 inches apart.
Gently flatten the mounds a little with your hand or a rubber spatula.
Bake 12-14 minutes, until brown but still pliable and soft.
Leave cookies on baking sheet for a couple of minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cool baking sheet for at least 5 minutes and butter it again before baking another batch.
**May substitute raisins, dried blueberries, dried cherries, dried currants, or chopped dried pitted dates for the dried cranberries.