White Chocolate Craisin Oat Cookies

Personal baker. Is that even a real phrase? That's what I've been nicknamed by the dorm mother of the dorm here. She knows I bake and when she has family occasions she commissions me to bake her things that'll make her look like a star. The first time, I made some variation of this cookie. (The second time it was an awesome apple cake and chocolate chip cookie bars- all winners!) She reports that when the guests tasted them and asked her what was in them she could barely answer. It was funny. If only embarrassingly so. Later I told her to just recite the basic ingredients in any recipe.. ya know, flour, sugar, etc. Anyway, I don't even know who was responsible for putting the idea to make this classic combination in my head. All I know is that it works. So well. And it was a good excuse to test the recipe again. And have some for myself this time around. This recipe originally appears in Baked as Oatmeal Cherry Nut Cookies but I transformed them into White Chocolate Craisin Oat Cookies. Dried Cherries- not so prevalent here. Easy to assemble, these cookies need to rest in the refrigerator for about six hours before baking. I'm not sure what this is meant to achieve, but after the NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookie wave, I have no doubt that some chill time is beneficial to any cookie dough.

White Chocolate Craisin Oat Cookies

adapted from Baked

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

few grates of nutmeg

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 3/4 cups quick cooking oats- use old fashioned for a more nubby, tweedy texture

1 generous handful craisins

1 generous handful white chocolate chips

Place the margarine and sugars in a bowl.Cream until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time,

stirring until completely incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients,

and the add ins. Mix to make a cohesive dough.

Cover and refrigerate for six hours or overnight. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop the cookies and place them on the baking sheet or stagger them as shown above.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, depending on the type of cookie you want. Remove the cookies after cooling on the pan for a couple of minutes.