Sunday 15 August 2010

把点点心意装进一盒饼干里

I got down to made a batch of Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal cookies yesterday morning after I heard the evening before, that my DG will be able to meet up with my DH overseas today. These cookies were adapted from the chocolate oatmeal cookies in my previous post. Instead of chocolate chips, I replaced it with dried cranberries and omitted the chocolate called for in the original recipe.


With the walnuts, rolled oats and dried cranberries, the end product is just like breakfast granola in a cookie form :)

You may think that these healthy, wholesome ingredients would probably produce cookies that taste like bland muesli or have a texture similar to cardboards. On the contrary, these cookies taste fabulous! Nice, crunchy exterior and a slightly soft, chewy interior. The cookies smell awesome too, thanks to the vanilla extract (Nelson-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract) I used. The dried cranberries provide just the right sweetness, as the sugar used is probably just enough for creaming the butter. The walnuts give the added nutty texture while the rolled oats provided a delightful chew.


This recipe is a keeper. It is very versatile as you can always use raisins or dried blueberries in place of dried cranberries; or substitute walnuts with almonds since both have almost similar nutritious  values. This is one good way to introduce some oats in our diet...especially for DH who has got high LDL but low HDL cholesterol levels!  I hope these cookies were in good condition when he receives it. On the other hand, I guess he wouldn’t mind even if they shattered into million pieces ;)



Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
(makes about 25~28 cookies, slightly less than 2" each)

90g butter, softened at room temperature
25g caster sugar
25g brown sugar
1 egg (weights about 60g with shell), lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
100g cake flour (or plain flour)
100g rolled oats
50g walnuts, coarsely chopped
60g dried cranberries, cut into smaller chunks


Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 190degC. Line baking trays with parchment paper.
  2. With manual whisk, cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until the mixture turns pale and fluffy (alternatively use an electric mixer if desired).
  3. Dribble in the egg gradually. Mix well after each addition. Add in salt and vanilla extract, mix to incorporate into the batter.
  4. Sift the flour over the batter, fold in with a spatula.
  5. Add rolled oats, walnuts and dried cranberries. Mix well with the spatula.
  6. Drop tablespoonfuls of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking tray. Leave some space between the cookies to allow for spreading (actually, they don't spread too much). Flatten each cookie dough slightly with the back of a fork, keeping the shape as even as possible.
  7. Bake for 8~10 mins or until golden (my oven took 12~15mins). If necessary, rotate the baking tray halfway through the cooking time to ensure even browning. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in air-tight containers.

    Recipe source: adapted from 好想为你亲手做出美味的甜点! 检见崎聡美


56 comments:

fuat gencal said...

Hayırlı pazarlar. Çok leziz görünüyor. Ellerinize sağlık.

Saygılar.

busygran said...

Yup! This is definitely a keeper and the recipe is so flexible that substitution is not a problem!

Aimei said...

I'm sure your DH will be happy and heart-warming to receive these homemade cookies, not to mention when it's so delicious and healthy. :)

Kasia w kuchni♥♥♥ said...

super!

Edith said...

Anything is good when it is made out of love.

youfei said...

I feel guilty now! I'm never quite a fan of oatmeal cookies and have never attempted anything close. But my bf, D, is a huge fan of oatmeal cookies and now I feel guilty for not ever thinking of trying this!

What better way to express yourself with a simple tin of cookies.

Magia da Inês said...

♥ Olá, amiga!
Passei para uma visitinha... amei!
Está tudo muito lindo, criativo e de bom saboroso.
Boa semana!
Tudo de bom!!!♥
Beijinhos.
Itabira♥♥
♥♥Brasil

Shirley @ Kokken69 said...

Hi HHB, these look really good! May I know if these are chewy or crispy type?

Allie said...

Beautiful! I just tried this recipe using chocolate and pecans and they were delicious! Thanks for sharing this lovely recicpe :)

Unknown said...

Wah... so sweet of you... your husband must be very happy when he receives this cookies, not only 爱心饼干, is a delicious cookies

Selma - DUSBAHCESI said...

Looks delicious!!

Happy Homebaker said...

Shirely, the exterior is crispy but the inside is a little soft and chewy...not the usual chewy chewy oatmeal cookies you get from American recipes.

Allie, chocolate and pecans sure sound good :) I am glad you like this recipe :)

Baking Fiend said...

yummy goodness! thanks for sharing. :)

Kitchen Corner said...

Your bakes always impress me with your passion and 心思!

NBC said...

Hi HHB,
Thank you for sharing your baking experience, easy-to-follow instructions and recipes - as I do not have any baking skills.
I have tried Baking with kids - making pizza dough, banana and chocolate chips muffins, chocolate fondue and heart-shape bread and they tasted delicious.
My family and I had a enjoyable bonding time.
In time to come, I will try to bake other recipes too.

experimentalcook said...

The taste of home is always the best! A bit of home cooked goodness and love all bound up in a little cookie - nothing beats this.

Shirley @ Kokken69 said...

Thanks, HHB - actually I am looking for a crispy cookie. I will try this and maybe bake it a little longer to get the interior to dry up further ...:)

Bakericious said...

HHB, you are such a dearly wife and your lao gong sure to be very touching when recieving these love cookies, will he be tearing? heeheehee... The cookies look so delicious

WendyinKK said...

Wah... I'm sure your DH will 甜到心都流. (I hope I wrote it correctly).

If I am him, Gosh.. how to eat these, one eaten means one gone... but one bite into these cookies will bring me one step nearer to home..

Even my heart is melting when I see these. hahahaha!!!

Angel @ Cook.Bake.Love said...

I think I should learn from you. Always remember to create some suprises for the better half even is 老夫老妻。

No..no. I never think that the cookies taste like bland muesli or have a texture similar to cardboards. By looking at ur pictures and the ingredients used, I know these cookies are 100% yummy.

I like to bake with oats too.

Pei-Lin said...

HHB, that was VERY sweet of you to do so! I doubt I'd even eat the cookies because they're made with lots of TLC -- plus, they traveled miles just to reach my hands!

I've always loved your 牛郎織女 story. How I wish I'd have had one, too ... LOL! 你們的愛情跨過四分之一個世紀了。。。好感動啊!但願人長久,千里共嬋娟。=)

Anonymous said...

Hi HHB,

Would like to ask which camera/model you use?
And are you using any photo editing software?
All the photos you posted are so well-taken and delicious..

Have a nice day!!

Max

Happy Homebaker said...

Cook.Bake.Love, we are really 老夫老妻, we have spent the past quarter century together :)

Pei Lin, he received the cookies, they were in good conditions, he has already digested some of the cookies ;) I am sure you will be able to find you better half, he's probably somewhere waiting for you :)

Hi Max, I am using a 6yr old, point and shoot camera, 4 mega pixels, Canon Powershot G3 (I think, G13 is already in the market!). I do not know much about photography, I only know how to use the auto-function and macro mode. I use free photo-editing software such as Picasa and Photoscape, mainly to adjust the brightness and contrast because of the poor lighting condition, and to add in the text. Photoshop is too complicated for me ;)

Anonymous said...

Hi HHB, how did you add the chinese text to your photos? I use try using photoscape but it does not allow me to type in chinese words.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, to add Chinese text, you need to select the font "SimHei", let me know if you still have any problem.

Ivon said...

That look scrumptious :D

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

this look too beautiful, your hubby is lucky to have you, a good wife and a good mom! Happy Baking!!

Anonymous said...

Hi HBB,

That was very lovely of you to share your experience and knowledge with us. Thanks a lot.
Hope to see your recipes soon.

Nice Day!!

Max

Anonymous said...

Hi HHB,
just wondering why ur cookies are white?
They are beautiful.
Did you coat them in white chocolate?
Constance

Happy Homebaker said...

Constance, No, I didn't coat them with chocolate. Are you referring to the first pic? maybe it is the reflection of the light? The last pic doesn't look white. My oven has got hot spots, the white bits could also be those parts that didn't get really browned :(

Mag said...

Hi, I am new in baking.. And tried your Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie yesterday. But the cookie turned out to be quite soft inside NOT crispy. What should I do to rectify this "softness"?

Happy Homebaker said...

Mag, these cookies are meant to be a little soft on the inside, not crispy and crunchy. You can bake them a few minutes longer, and also maybe you can lower the temperature a little, I suspect your oven temp is a little high, so the outside is browned (is that right?) but the inside is still uncooked?

Anonymous said...

Hi HHB
hey, i just tried out this recipe. haven't been baking cookies for years cause i remembered it to be a tedious process, thks to my small oven :( but , this time round, it is not so bad actually. i started at around 10.30am and now, my cookies are cooling off on the rack:) i compared mine and yours and found that mine are a bit flat, shouldn't have flattened it too much. i was worried that the inside may not be cooked if it is too thick. the smell coming out from the oven was heavenly and i took one to try juz now, the sweetness is just nice and the chewiness is what i like, will definitely make this again! thks for sharing the recipe!regards
octopusmum

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi octopusmum, I am also using a small tabletop oven, so I usually bake small batches of cookies. I am glad you pick up baking cookies again. It is much healthy to bake your own as you know what goes into the cookies, I hope your children like these as much as you do :) I was making a batch of granola bars just now, they are even more healthier than these, just oats, nuts, dried fruits and milk, no sugar, no honey or butter.

Anonymous said...

hI hhb
Can share your granola recipe?
btw, i ate the cookies again this morning. found that the inside is soft and the outside not as crispy as yesterday. my no 2 said it is nice but no 1 said it didn't taste like store bought cookies. i guess he is too used to the much sweeter cookies i always bought from Marks & Spencer. i am going to bring some to office tomorrow to ask my colleagues for their opinion. btw, how long can these cookies be kept? should i keep in the fridge so that they last longer?
regards octopusmum

Anonymous said...

Dear HHB,

Want to also say HAPPY TEACHERS' DAY to you!

First of all, Thanks for being so patient and taking your time to answer ALL our questions!

Appreciate you much as you are liken to an online teacher/tutor, sharpening our baking skills;)

Have an enjoyable and restful day!
love, cupcake

Zoe said...

Hi HHB, Nice recipe. I like your presentation for your baked good. Great job :D

Happy Homebaker said...

Octopusmum, did you store the cookies in air tight container? Mine are still as good 1 week later. I usually keep cookies up to 2 weeks. I am not sure about keeping them in fridge...because there are oats in it, not sure whether they will become very soft?? The granola bars did not turn out that well, after 1 day, they became soft. Will try out other recipes. Wish me luck :)

Cupcake, thanks for your kind words :):)
I thought you have mistaken me as a school teacher, lolz! Nah, I am no teacher, I'm just sharing my experience, and actually I learn so much more by answering questions from readers. The only thing that worries me is I am not the blind leading the blind!

Zoe, thanks!

Anonymous said...

HI HHB
i ate one more juz now and the outside has turned soft :( i checked the container and realised that i have not closed it properly. i used those tins which Prima Deli used to sell their CNY cookies in, the metal type with a latch. sob sob, guess i have to try and finish them asap !
good luck in your granola bars attempt!
regards
octopusmum

Happy Homebaker said...

Octopusmum, I used lock & lock, so far this is the best brand of air tight containers. Also, you must know the right way to store, ie use the right size, the cookies must fill up the container, so that there is not too much air space. of course, as the cookies are finished up, the air space will get bigger, if you really want to keep longer, than transfer the remaining cookies to a smaller container. This method applies to all cookies that you want to keep fresh and crispy.

Anonymous said...

HI hhb
thks v much for the tip! i have different sizes of lock&lock but didn't cross my mind to use them to store the cookies. other than the prima deli containers, i also used the plastic container with the red cap (those used in cny to store cookies). i guess i have associated cookies with cny ! and die liao, there r about 4 pieces of cookies in the plastic container and there r lots of space. they must be lou feng by now:(
will take note of your useful tips in future!
regards octopusmum

Zoe said...

i HHB, Thanks for sharing this recipe. I baked these cookies too. Here is my blog featuring these cookies, http://bakeforhappykids.blogspot.com/
Cheers.

Anonymous said...

Thank u for sharing your wonderful recipes & tips! My hubby-to-be enjoyed these tasty treats alot and my colleagues are always in awe of these tasty treats!

Sabrina said...

I did this cookies! This type of cookies are not my favorite, but I really liked these ones. I changed it a little. I used the same basic ingredients, but instead walnuts I used a mixture (80% unsalted pistachio, a few almonds, pine nuts, macadamia all unsalted). I did not have cranberries, but I added raisins, and some white chocolate cut in small pieces.
The cookies are crunchy, and quite healthy. On the outside they remind me of some other cookies, not as healthy, sweeter, but awesome (meringue+ground almonds or walnuts). These are cooked at a lower temperature, but for a long time...

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Sabrina, thanks for sharing your experience, really like the idea of using a variety of nuts for the cookies :)

Roselind said...

hi roselind here. is one egg enough? if i want to bake more cookies, do i have to make the mixture two rounds or do you have other measurements? and do i need to apply a layer of butter on the baking tray?
:)

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Roselind, yes only 1 egg is used. I am sorry I do not have the ingredient amount for double the portion. It is best to stick to one batch at a time, but you can try double everything. If you line the baking tray with parchment paper you do not need to grease it with butter. Hope this helps :)

Roselind said...

alright! thank you very much for your help. will drop by again. haha..

Roselind said...

hi it's me again. haha.. just want ask can i use white fine sugar to replace caster sugar? and can i keep the cookies in container?

Roselind said...

oh and can i use corn flakes instead of rolled oat? :)

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Roselind, please use caster sugar and corn flakes will not be a good substitute.

Anonymous said...

I usually don't like raisins but this recipe taste so good! I added mini chocolate chips and they taste so much better than store bought cookies. Thanks HHB, your posts are so detailed and easy to follow they have never failed me =)

Shaine

Anonymous said...

Hi Roselind, I tried making 2 batches and they turn out fine. 1 recipe is just nice for 1 tray.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Shaine, good to hear that you like these cookies :) I made one batch and gave it away as xmas present ;)

Anonymous said...

Really like your bakes. Pls advise if the walnuts have to be toasted. Tks,

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, it is not necessary to toast the walnuts, however, if the walnuts I bought have been kept for some time, I will toast it before using. hope this helps and happy baking!