Cranberry Pecan White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Honestly, I want to try these with fresh or frozen cranberries chopped up just a bit instead of dried cranberries.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine butter and brown sugar in a mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add vanilla. Add dry ingredients, beating until just barely combined. Then stir in the cranberries, white chocolate chips, and chopped pecans. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the parchment paper lined cookie sheet and sprinkle the tops with a few leftover cranberries or white chocolate chips if desired. Bake for exactly 10 minutes. Remove from the oven ­ cookies will be slightly golden brown around the edges and the middles will look underdone. Let cool completely. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Cranberry Apple Pie (or Crumble)

I LOVE this as a crumble and I LOVE this as a pie.  The filling is the same and really you can't go wrong either way you decide to make it.  The cranberries add bursts of tartness that are so delicious with the buttery crumble topping and delicately spiced sweet apples. With a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, this dessert is heavenly. And okay, I love eating it for breakfast the next morning too.

Cranberry Apple Pie (or Crumble)

1 recipe double-crust pie crust (if making into a pie) or 1 recipe Oat Crumble Topping (below)

Filling

8 - 10 large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick (3 1/2 pounds prepped)

2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

 

Oat Crumble Topping

 

2 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a large rectangular baking dish (if making a crumble) or prepare pie pastry (if making a pie).
              

To make topping, mix the oats, flour, brown sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the butter, then press the topping together with your hands to form small clumps. Put the topping in the freezer while you assemble the filling.

              

To make the fruit filling, toss the apples, cranberries, sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Transfer the filling to the prepared pan and spread it out, pressing the fruit down into the corners.  If making a pie, dot with butter before topping with the crust and crimping the edges and brushing the top crust with an egg wash.

 

Press the oat crumble evenly over the fruit, then bake for 60 - 70 minutes, or until the crumble is lightly golden and the filling is bubbling up in the corners (or the pie crust is golden brown - you may have to cover the edges of the pie to prevent burning). Cool for 20 minutes or so before serving, then top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.