Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Cookies (Soy and Fish-Free, Can Be Wheat and Nut-Free)

This cookie recipe I got from food.com, and it is amazing! It was originally listed by Boomette. I have slightly modified it to make it soy-free, assuming you make sure to use all soy-free ingredients, and to put my own little tweak on it. :)

Note that this recipe is fish-free and can be wheat and nut-free. (See variations below.)

Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/2 Cups soy-free flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1 Cup (2 sticks) salted, full-fat butter, softened

1/2 Cup white sugar

1/2 Cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 Cups oatmeal

1 Cup sweetened dried cranberries (I recommend Craisins)

1 Cup slivered or chopped, unsalted almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350^oF.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon (if using).

3. In another big bowl, mix butter, sugar and brown sugar until mixture has doubled using a mixer.

4. Add eggs and vanilla to the sugar mixture and mix well.

5. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, beating it in at low speed.

6. Finally, add in the oatmeal, cranberries and almonds and stir in with a wooden spoon.

7. Drop the dough, 1/4 cup for each cookie, on ungreased baking sheets, leaving space of 3 inches between each cookies. (You can also roll the cookies into balls and/or make these cookies smaller if you wish, but note that the cooking time will be shorter.)

8. Cook 16 minutes or until cookies are golden but lightly soft on top.

9. Let cool on a sheets for 2 minutes.

10. Put cookies on a wire rack or on brown paper or waxed paper and let them cool completely. (These cookies can be eaten while warm, too, but they tend to fall apart easier that way.)

Makes a minimum of 20 cookies.

Variations (Please keep your individual allergen needs in mind when using substitutions!):

• White Chocolate Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Cookies: Omit the cinnamon and add from 1 to 2 Cups of white chocolate chips and cook as directed.
    
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  Wheat-Free Version: Substitute a gluten-free, cup-to-cup flour blend (such as Pamela's Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour) for the regular flour.
    
• Nut-Free Version: Omit the almonds. Use the white chocolate chips (omit cinnamon if you do) or leave them out.
    
• Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies: Substitute 1 Cup walnut pieces for the almonds.
    
• Raisin Almond Oatmeal Cookies: Substitute 1 Cup raisins for the cranberries.
    
• Raisin Walnut Oatmeal Cookies: Substitute 1 Cup raisins for the cranberries and 1 Cup walnut pieces for the almonds.
    
• Basically, you can substitute any nut for the almonds (walnut, pecan, macadamia nut, etc.) and any dried fruit for the cranberries (raisins, apricots, etc.). You can also omit the cinnamon and add 1 to 2 Cups of any type of chocolate that you like. You could even omit the almonds, cinnamon and cranberries and just add chocolate or omit the almonds and cranberries and just have plain oatmeal cookies. The possibilities are endless! :)

Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Cookies made with chopped almonds vs. slivered almonds, gluten-free flour blend vs. regular flour, and by rolling the dough vs. dropping it onto the cookie sheets.

(This recipe was originally posted on my original site, Natural and Free.)