Isn’t New Year’s Day a wonderful thing? Full of possibility, full of positivity, full of exciting plans for the future. There’s resolutions a-go-go everywhere you look. Eat healthier, exercise more, watch less tv, and all that jazz.
Personally, I’ve never been too keen on resolutions. I prefer New Years plans, instead. There’s less expectations and less stress involved with simply making some solid plans, rather than basing the success of an entire year on whether you manage to eat exactly three more servings of broccoli per week.
My New Years plans include developing some better time management skills (like getting out of bed before 10:30 am) as well as cutting back on the late-night snackies. Nothing too difficult. Although I’m sure you’ll agree that it is very, very hard to resist that canister of French fried onions come midnight. Still, one must overcome these obstacles.
Around La Kocinera, I’ve also implemented some changes. There’s a new commenting system, courtesy of IntenseDebate, which allows you and I to chat more easily, with less pop-up windows and less captcha mumbo jumbo. LinkWithin widgets at the end of each post cleverly point out other snippets that you might enjoy. I’ve also reworked the navigation menu to include a recipe index and a better “About Me” page. Isn’t organization grand?
Update: In less than 12 hours, I was having such a pain with importing and moderating comments with IntenseDebate, that I’ve returned to using Blogger’s commenting system.
Now, that being said, there is one teensy, tiny problem with New Years resolutions/plans…they’re usually not very fun. They may pay off in the long run by improving your health, mood, attitude, lifestyle, etc., but they’re a pain in the beginning stages. Hopping off the couch and onto the treadmill, swapping the gooey cheeseburger for the grilled chicken wrap, and going to bed before the 2 am episode of Dr. Who can bring out the stubborn five-year-old in us all.
Guess which one of those applies to me.
The point is, we need a little encouragement in our plans. Instead of forgoing all yummy things on the planet for the sake of calorie counting, you can enjoy something that’s a little healthy and a little indulgent at the same time. Hence these little cookie gems. They’ve got tons of oats and cranberries, which both definitely reside on the healthy side of the food spectrum. Thanks to their cookie form and maple syrup glaze, they’re also a delicious treat.
Celebrate the New Year, cut yourself some slack, and enjoy!
Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies with Maple Syrup Glaze
Recipe adapted from “Maple-Glazed Oatmeal Cookies” from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather
Cookies
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cups old-fashioned, rolled oats
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3-5 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
pinch of salt
For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a regular ol’ bowl and whisk, cream the butter, syrup, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until nice and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until well combined. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, oats, and cranberries, mixing well.
Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon, drop golf ball sized portions of dough onto the baking sheets, keeping them about an inch apart. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, unless you make abnormally huge cookies like I do, in which case, leave them in the oven for a few extra minutes.
For the glaze: Combine the powdered sugar, maple syrup, heavy cream, and salt in a medium bowl, whisking until well combined. If it’s too thick, add another splash of cream. If it’s too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar. If you dip a spoon into it, the glaze should slip off of it thickly, but easily.
Dip a spoon into the glaze and hold it over a cookie, allowing the glaze to drip off the spoon onto the cookie in a gentle stream. Go back and forth across the surface of the cookie in this manner, allowing the glaze to drizzle the top. Repeat with the rest of the cookies. If you prefer, you can also take a cookie and simply dip the top into the glaze.
Ya like my purple fingernails?
Happy New Year, Koci. No resolutions on my end this year, although I've had many in the past. Your blog has been a great addition to my life and please keep up the good work.
Happy New Year, Koci! There are lots of great flavors going on in these cookies. I recently made granola bars that were very similar. I like cookies better, though!
Happy new year! And yummm those look delish!
I do like the balance between healthy and indulgent in these cookies! And the purple polish 🙂 Hope 2011 brings you fantastic things 🙂
Those cookies make me want to DUMP my resolution! Happy 2011!
@Lady Cooks the Blues: Aw, thanks! Hope you have a fantastic new year!
@Marisa: Oooh, granola bars are the best! Happy New Year to you, too!
@BigAppleNosh: Happy New Year to you! Thanks!
@baking.serendipity: That's what I tell myself. 😀 Happy New Year!
@A Spicy Perspective: They would definitely make for a tasty exception. hehehe Thanks! Happy New Year to you, too!
Those look totally scrumptious! Loving the maple syrup glaze!
These sound lovely and healthy too!
Gorgeous cookies Koci!love the drizzle and cranberry addition! I can try it b/c inhave ingredients! Happy New Year!:)
And I do like your polish!!
@5 Star Foodie: Thank you! I'm totally obsessed all things maple syrup-y. 😀
@Becky: Thanks!
@Cake Duchess: I hope you like them! 😀
I like your style Koci, starting the New Year with healthy cookies – well done. I can eat these in good conscience. I love the maple icing.
The cookies looked so perfect! I love it. I can't wait to try this at home.
These Cranberry Cookies look divine!
I would love to try maple syrup in baked goods. These look really good!
that looks so yummy! i just bookmarked this:) thanks for sharing it.
Hi Koci-Your cookies are gorgeous…printed out the recipe. Love the maple sugar glaze drizzle on them. Yumm!!!
…and I do love your purple nail polish!
BTW-check out my blog for the $50 gift certificate giveaway. Don't want you to miss out!
Happy New Year!… if I didn't wish you one.
These look so delicious! Wish I could snack on one right now! I love how the glaze just goes right over the edge of the cookies…. mmmmm….
These look fabulous! I'm not one for resolutions, either. If it tastes good, and you're craving it, dig it! I would with these cookies!
YUM!
I plan on exercising more too *crosses fingers*
Yes, LOVE your purple finger nails! And those cookies just look scrumptious! Happy New Year, Koci!
I just made these cookies tonight, and I'm telling you, they were truly AMAZING. Super-easy to make, soft, and sweet…though, mine did not look nearly as nice as yours. These have just been added to the "household favorites" list. Congrats!
Thanks for all the praise, guys. I'm glad you find them as yummy as I do! 😀
They look perfect! Especially with that bright, white glaze!
I made these the other day and they were a huge hit with us 🙂 I actually added in maple extract to the dough aswell as they glaze to achieve an even deeper maple flavor 🙂 I plan to make these again towards the fall 🙂 Thank you!
I really like the pictures you took of these. Cookie pictures are almost always done with them perfectly arranged on a pretty plate, but the way you did your pictures is way more gorgeous than most. They sound delicious, too!