Thyme After Time: Getting to know you

Making a new cookie recipe is kind of like getting to know a new friend. Hello, how are you? What are you made of? Are we going to get along? Are my family and friends going to like you? When all is said and done are you chewy, sweet, crunchy? Sometimes its works out, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes everything looks great until you've invested all of your time, read all of the reviews, were convinced the recipe was good, baked the cookies, and in the end, it just isn't right. You don't actually really know what they are all about until after the cookie's baked. How long do they last, how do they hold up?

This morning I got to know a new friend. I "borrowed" the recipe from my favorite blog, Smitten Kitchen, (I was doing a web search on oatmeal cookies and she popped up in the search engine.) Her recipe had everything I was looking for...not too many cookies..it only takes a little to satisfy a craving....chewy and crispy....and my favorite blog. Yay me!
It all started last night while I was finishing up some other recipes, dreaming up new ones and it hit me. I wanted fresh baked cookies...not for the blog, not for my friends...just for me. It's odd. Unlike most normal people, I don't eat a lot of sweets. I don't snack... I save my snacking and "sweeting" for holidays. I'm just weird like that. So, believe me, when a craving for sweets come along...I tend to listen because it's a little out of the ordinary.
I pictured myself with an oatmeal cookie, warm out of the oven, a bit crispy but definitely chewy. I had on hand mini boxes of raisins that I bought for another recipe. I had a bag of rolled oats. I knew I had everything I needed. The only problem was it was midnight. I still considered it but decided midnight cookies make for a rough morning.
So here I am writing this with that fresh baked cookie smell permeating the room...
I changed up from the raisins to cranberries. (Hubby doesn't like raisins so I was nice and swapped them out, just in case I feel like sharing.) I also love the tang of cranberries and it fits so well with these cookies. I added slightly more vanilla (because I misread the amount). I also didn't pack the brown sugar just because: 1. I was running low. 2. I like things less sweet than normal people.
I let the baking commence and the result?

These cookies were everything I imagined (and dreamed about last night) them to be. It's rare to find that, especially on a first try. Smitten, you never disappoint me.

Three cookies later, a sugar high and a warm feeling in my belly...yes, Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies, I think we are going to be very good friends!

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup Butter, softened (Microwave one minute at 20 %...that worked for me)
2/3 cup Light Brown Sugar (Smitten Kitchen packs the sugar, I like a bit less sweet so mine has a bit less)
1 Egg
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 cups Rolled Oats
3/4 cup Dried Cranberries (or Raisins)
1/2 cup Walnuts, Chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.