Haul out the holly (Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies)

Because we need a little Christmas, right this very minute...

I'm back!  Lest you think that I failed all my finals and jumped off the Ben Franklin Bridge, I've returned.  Finals actually went better than expected, a pleasant surprise.  For my first week of vacation, the husband, pup and I drove from New Jersey to the Keys.  

We're going in the car?!?!  The car!!!!!

We spent some time in Key Largo and Key West, and got to see over 1500 miles of this beautiful country of ours.  Most of it was frozen as we passed through, but it was sunny and warm beside the ocean at the Southernmost Point!

Any place that celebrates the sunset everyday is OK with me.

Now that we're back, it's time for Christmas baking!  I spent most of the day in the kitchen, and I'll share that fun tomorrow, but for now I wanted to post these cookies.  

These cookies are amazing.  They are soft and chewy and cinnamon-y.  I used dried cranberries instead of raisins, because we took them with us on the trip and I wanted to make sure that all our food was doggie-safe, just in case Layla got into anything.

It was a good choice.


Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups rolled oats
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup dried cranberries

Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy, usually 1-2 minutes.  Add the eggs and beat until smooth.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Gradually add the flour to the butter and sugar until incorporated.  Mix in the oats, then the pecans.  Finally, fold in the cranberries.  Drop in heaping teaspoons onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350  for 11-13 minutes, until browned on the edges.  Cool on a wire rack.  Enjoy!