Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies with Sour Cream Frosting

These oatmeal cookies have a special place in my heart - they are an evolution of my childhood. My mother, Linda Leigh, would always have oatmeal cookies stuffed in the cookie jar. They were never store bought, they were always fresh. As time went on, they morphed from with her flavor obsessions - white chocolate chips found their way into many batters and eventually cranberries made their appearance. Combine this with the ever present sour cream frosting and my love of warmer spices, and you have the best damned oatmeal cream pies on the planet.

Make two batches, you'll want those for the cookie jar.

You can see me make these cookies on The Great American Recipe on PBS and PBS Food.

Author

Brian Leigh

Prep Time

40 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Servings

8

Category

Dessert

Cuisine

Americana

Ingredients

• 2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoon molasses
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats
• 2 cup dried cranberry
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 2 cup room temperature unsalted butter
• 5 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup room temperature full fat sour cream

Directions

1. Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and both sugars together on medium speed way longer than you think you need to - approx. 10 minutes. Add the eggs and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
2. Add the vanilla and molasses and mix on high until combined. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cardamom, and salt together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined.
4. Slowly incorporate the oats, dried cranberries, and white chocolate chips on low speed.
5. Chill the dough in the freezer for 10 minutes while the oven is preheating. The dough can be chilled for up to 24 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F. While the oven is preheating, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
7. Using about 2 tablespoons per cookie, roll into balls of dough and place on the baking sheet, well-spaced. These cookies will expand as they bake.
8. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly browned on the sides. Do not overbake. The cookies will setup as they cool.
9. Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Using a stand mixer, cream the butter on high for 5 minutes.
11. Reduce the mixer to low and begin adding the confectioners’ sugar. Mix until incorporated.
12. Add in the vanilla, salt and sour cream and mix on high until incorporated.
13. Transfer to a piping bag and place in the refrigerator to set.
14. Make sure that the cookies are completely cooled and the frosting has set. A warm cookie, or an unset frosting, will make the frosting runny and ooze out when bitten into.
15. Take a cookie and pipe a floret of sour cream frosting onto the flat side.
16. Find a cookie of approximate size and cap.
17. Serve two cookies with a glass of chai for that perfect hug. Thanks mom!