Dried Cranberry and Oatmeal Bar Recipe

These Cranberry Oatmeal bars are a delightful mix of chewy oats, sweet dried cranberries, and a hint of cinnamon! They’re the perfect treat, whether you're craving a snack or a dessert!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (buy cinnamon here)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (buy cranberries here)
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (such as walnuts, almonds, pepitas, etc.) - buy nuts here.🌰
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven - Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix dry ingredients - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugars - In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).

Add wet ingredients - Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined.

Combine wet and dry ingredients - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.
Stir in the rolled oats, dried cranberries, and any optional add-ins like nuts or chocolate chips.

Scoop and shape - Drop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each cookie with the back of a spoon.

Bake - Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the cookies are set. For chewy cookies, don't overbake.

Cool - Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Optional Variations:

• Add citrus zest: Add a teaspoon of orange or lemon zest for a fresh citrusy flavor.
• Substitute with other dried fruits: You can also swap some of the dried cranberries with dried cherries or raisins.
• Add seeds: Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds, chia seeds can give your cookies an extra crunch and healthy boost.

These dried cranberry oatmeal bars are deliciously chewy, sweet, and full of flavor. Enjoy them with a cup of tea or coffee!