Red, White & Blue Oatmeal Cookies ~ #CreativeCookie Exchange

It is #Creative Cookie Exchange time again and this month's theme is Red, White, and Blue.  A couple of different ideas went through my mind until I came to what I thought was a great idea. However, we all know about those best laid plans, don't we......

Some weeks are better than others, and this past week was just one of those weeks.  You know what I mean, right?  The cookies I planned to bake are not the ones listed here.  Not to say that these were not good - they were - it is just that I had another cookie in mind, and I was so excited to make them. Oh well, you can't change the past, you can only move forward.

Lucky for me my family have been craving oatmeal cookies, so I decided to add some dried cherries, fresh blueberries, and white chocolate chips to meet the theme requirements.  I have to say that they are very tasty cookies.  I still plan on making my original idea, maybe for an upcoming Creative Cookie Exchange theme.

I want to give special thanks to my daughter Ashleigh for helping me with the baking of the cookies, and taking the photos for me - she did I great job!

Red, White & Blue Oatmeal Cookies
(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• ¾ cup dried cherries
• ¾ cup fresh blueberries
• ¾ cups white chocolate chips

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Line two baking sheets with non-stick silicone mats or parchment paper, set aside.
3. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl whisking to combine. Set aside.
4. Put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on low for two minutes.
5. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar, and increase speed to medium and beat for about four minutes, or until light and creamy.
6. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat to incorporate stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
7. Add vanilla, and when blended slowly beat in the reserved dry mixture together with the oats until until just incorporated so as to not over-mix.
8. Cover the dough and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
9. Remove from refrigerator, and using a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop, make mounds of dough.  Roll the dough into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
10. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges.
11. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheets, then use a spatula to transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
12. Store airtight, at room temperature for up to a week.
13. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Recipe slightly adapted from Milk & Cookies by Tina Casaceli.

The Creative Cooke Exchange theme this month is Red, White, and Blue. Independence Day is coming soon and we have to celebrate! If you are a blogger and want to join in the fun, contact Laura via email (thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com) and she will get you added to our Facebook group where we coordinate events.

You can also use us as a great resource for cookie recipes. Be sure to check out our Facebook page, our Pinterest Board, and our monthly posts. You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made:

• Dried Berries and White Chocolate Chip Cookies by Holly at A Baker's House
• Lemon Blueberry Cookies by Kathia at Basic N Delicious
• Patriotic Pinwheel Cookies by Becca at It's Yummi!
• Raspberry and Blueberry Alfajore Cookies by Brenda at What's Cooking America
• Raspberry Lemon Blueberry Bars by Stacy at Food Lust People Love
• Red, White, & Blue Oatmeal Cookies by Felice at All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Spicy Blue Cheese Shortbread Cookies by Renee at Magnolia Days
• Sprinkle Cookies by Karen at Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Vanilla Pudding Cookies, Red White and Blue by Jill at Made With Love