Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

I love a good oatmeal cookie, and these cranberry walnut oatmeal cookies kick this classic recipe up a notch. The oats and toasted walnuts give it a warm nutty flavor and chewy texture. While the cranberries in the cookie give it that pop of tartness that rounds it out.

This recipe is my little twist on my mother’s classic oatmeal raisin cookies. Every year for as long as I can remember the town of Bordentown, New Jersey has had a big Cranberry Festival in the fall. The Ocean Spray factory used to be there so cranberries were a big part of the town’s industry. The factory has since moved, but the tradition of the Cranberry Festival continues.

The real estate agency that my brother works for is right there in the middle of all the excitement. Being supportive of my realtor brother, I made a batch of cookies for him to give out and draw attention to the Rapos and Quigley Team. After all, who doesn’t love free food! Keeping with the spirit of the festival I decided to tweak one of my families time tested recipes to make something that would put these ruby beauties on display. The resulting delicious cranberry walnut cookies were a success. Everyone who had them loved them. This easy and delicious cookie recipe definitely earned itself a permanent position in the recipe collection.

To Toast or Not to Toast your Walnuts

I will be quite honest here I usually do not toast my walnuts before cooking or baking with them. It is just that extra step I often skip, and most of the time the recipe doesn’t call for it. I felt toasting the walnuts was necessary for this recipe, however. Toasting the nuts beforehand brings out their richness and makes for a more intense nutty flavor. It also cuts down any natural bitterness in the raw nut. I wanted that warm earthy flavor for these cookies so I opted to toast them.

How to Toast Walnuts

Toasting walnuts only takes 5 minutes and is really to do. Honestly, I have no excuse for ever skipping it.

• Heat a large frying pan on medium-high heat.
• Add the nuts to the dry pan spreading them out so that there is only a single layer.
• Cook for about 5 minutes stirring frequently so that they don’t burn.
• Transfer nuts to a plate to cool.

And just like that, you have delicious toasted walnuts!

Happy baking and I hope you love these Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal cookies as much as I do!

Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

A fall spin on a classic oatmeal cookie recipe. These cookies are filled with the nuttiness of toasted walnuts and the tartness of cranberries for a treat that will fly of the plate.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 4 dozen

Equipment

• Stand mixer
• Cookie sheet

Ingredients

  

• ½ cup butter softened
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup chopped walnuts toasted
• 2½ cups old-fashioned oats uncooked

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°
• Cream butter and brown and granulated sugar on medium speed.
  
• Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.
• Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and mix well.
• Add cranberries, walnuts and oats and mix on low.
• Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough out of the mixing bowl and drop them onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
  
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool at least 1 minute before eating. Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing.

Keyword cookie, cranberry, fall, oatmeal, walnut

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