Another Baking and Books post from Linda Bailey, author of The Stanley Books

Here's another delicious Baking and Books post from Linda Bailey.

Linda Bailey’s Cranberry-Oatmeal-Nutty-White-Chocolate-Chip Cookies

I'm not usually a baker, having a "salt tooth" rather than a "sweet tooth." But when Vancouver Kidsbooks invited me to launch Stanley's Beauty Contest at their store, I felt that it would be an excellent idea to contribute a batch of cookies. After all, there was a huge, delectable dog cookie prominent on the book’s cover, and much of the story revolved around Stanley's pursuit of that cookie . . .

My original thought was to make dog cookies. This faded with the recognition that most of the launch guests were likely to be human. So, passing on Stanley’s favourite ingredients, I went for my own instead, and in an orgy of personal excess, came up with cookies that were a combo of ALL my own favourite cookie ingredients in the whole wide world. The result was Cranberry-Oatmeal-Nutty-White-Chocolate-Chip cookies.

They were a hit! In fact, the next time I launched a Stanley book (Stanley’s Little Sister), requests for a cookie sequel poured in from various quarters — even though there are absolutely no cookies whatsoever, of any description, in the new book. Enjoy!

2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pistachios, almonds — or none, if allergic)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips (or white chocolate bar, broken up)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Beat in eggs.
3. In separate bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt.
4. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Combine thoroughly.
5. Stir in nuts, cranberries and chocolate chips.
6. Drop heaping tablespoons of cookie dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. Pat with fingers or spoon.
7. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, until golden.

Arf!