Healthy Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies
Yields: 15 cookies
 
These oatmeal cookies are soft and chewy with lots of festive wintertime flavors! The bright cranberries and sweet oranges pair so well, and a teensy hint of cinnamon makes these cookies taste so rich and comforting. They’ll keep for at least one week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and they freeze well, too!
  • 1 cup (100g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
  • ¾ cup (90g) whole wheat or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp (8g) orange zest (about 1 extra large)
  • 2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (12g) Stevia In The Raw® Bakers Bag
  • ½ cup (120mL) freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 extra large)
  • ¾ cup (75g) fresh whole cranberries, diced
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk in the orange zest. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the Stevia In The Raw® and orange juice. Add in the oat mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the cranberries. Chill the cookie dough for 20 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
  3. Using a spoon and spatula, drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet. Flatten to the desired thickness and width using a spatula. Bake at 325°F for 9-11 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Notes: It’s extremely important to measure both the oats and flour correctly using this method or a kitchen scale. Too much of either will dry out the cookies and leave them cakey instead of chewy.

For the gluten-free flour, I recommend the following: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will also work, if measured like this.

Instant oats are also known as quick-cooking or minute oats. They come in large canisters, just like old-fashioned oats. They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal. To make your own, add the same amount of old-fashioned rolled oats to a food processor, and pulse 10-12 times or until the oats are about ¼ to ⅛ of their original size.

Don’t skip the orange zest! It actually provides the majority of the orange flavor.

For a shortcut, I pulse my cranberries a few times in a food processor to chop them. For best results, they should be no larger than ¼ of their original size.

Do not overbake these cookies! They’ll turn out cakey or dry if you do. They should still feel a little soft and underdone in the centers when you remove them from the oven. They’ll continue to cook all the way through while you let them cool on the warm baking sheet.

For answers to all other questions regarding substitutions and tips, see my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page.

{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, lower sugar}
Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2018/12/04/cranberry-orange-oatmeal-cookies/