Oatmeal Cranberry Maple Cookies

I have had this recipe in my files since May and naturally when I finally decided to make it I didn't have enough dried cranberries. Never one to let something like that deter me, I threw in the last of a bag of dried cherries and some raisins to round out the 1 1/2 cups I needed. I also discovered that I was mostly out of walnuts too, so in went some pecans.

I have a link to the blog Genesis of a Cook in my file with this recipe, but when I tried to find her post on this recipe, she didn't have the recipe posted -- which probably means I copied the wrong link and therefore I have no idea where I got this recipe from, but I have to guess that Genesis of a Cook had something to do with it. Of course, after JB pointed out that I posted the wrong recipe with this post originally (corrected now) I realized that Genesis of a Cook had nothing to do with this recipe after all, and I really don't have a clue where the recipe came from. If anyone out there thinks it's yours, please feel free to let me know so I can give credit where credit is due.

These are good cookies. Chewy with subtle maple flavor and hints of cinnamon and a lot of raisins/craisins to give them chew and flavor. I'm not a huge oatmeal raisin cookie fan to begin with, but these are better than some that I made, and when you get a cookie with lots of craisins instead raisins, they offer a nice surprise and twist on the classic.

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed dark or light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 3/4 cups old fashioned oatmeal (not instant)**
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and have ready a couple of parchment lined cookie sheets.

Stir together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and both sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until combined. Stir in vanilla extract and maple syrup. By hand or using lowest speed of electric mixer, stir in flour mixture. When flour is absorbed, stir in oats, cranberries and walnuts.

Using a quarter cup measure, shape dough into large mounds and place mounds 3 inches apart on lined cookie sheets (OR, you can do what I do and scoop out the individual mounds, chill them as mounds, then refrigerate or freeze the mounds until you are ready to cook them).

Bake one sheet at a time for 15-17 minutes. Let them cool on the cookie sheet until firm enough to lift off, then allow them to cool completely on a rack.

Makes 15 cookies