“Poor Jack,” I thought as I was polishing off cookie #4 (aka, Dinner) while I sat on the couch. “He sho’ looks like he could use a cookie!”
But Jack can go get his own cookies when he gets off the island in three years – and after watching Lost tonight, it is apparent that he does, but:
– Who was in the casket?
– Wasn’t that blonde chick on 90210?
– Why won’t that Russian die already?!
– Why can’t Kate follow directions – just once?
– Did I seriously just eat the last cookie?
All very important questions but I can only answer one: Damn, I did just eat the last cookie.
There are no rules that state you can only eat pumpkin ravioli in October, strawberry shortcake in July, or turkey in November. The same can be said for cranberry cookies – they ain’t just for December!
One of the best Cranberry Oatmeal Walnut cookies that I’ve ever tasted came from a store-brand break-and-bake package. I do not lie. Another super good cookie comes from the inside wrapper of a Crisco can. I don’t have the Crisco hate – I was raised on the stuff and I’m perfectly normal. Well, normal maybe with the exception of my uber-obsession of all things kitchen-related. And the NFL Network. And Halo 2. And my short attention span when presented with bright shiny objects. It’s normal – just take my word for it.
I love the Crisco recipe – the cookies get cooked on the outer edges, get puffy in the middle, and then deflate a bit as they cool creating a chewy, chewy, chewy center that stays that way for… Hmmm. So, I don’t actually know how long the cookies stay chewy but I can vouch for two days – they don’t really last much longer than that around here.
Cranberry Oatmeal Walnut Cookies
Chewy and moist oatmeal cookies studded with cranberries and walnuts.
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup stick Butter Flavor Crisco
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 3/4 cups rolled oats
- 1 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 1/4 cup walnut pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
- Combine shortening and sugars in large bowl and mix on medium until well combined. Add eggs one at a time and add vanilla. Add dry ingredients in two batches, beating on low speed until mixed well. Manually stir in oats, cranberries, and walnuts. Put dough in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to chill.
- Form dough into balls (about 2 Tbsp) and place 2-3 inches apart on a baking mat or greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes until edges are golden brown and the centers still appear soft. Cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes and transfer to a rack to completely cool. Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container.
Notes
Yields: 24 cookies
Estimated time: 45 minutes