I was thrilled to get the chance to participate in the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap of 2014.
Who doesn't enjoy finding a package of a dozen surprise cookies lovingly baked just for you in the mail?...Or how about THREE dozen? Thanks to the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap this was a special treat I indulged in this year along with getting to bake up these scrumptious butterscotch cranberry oatmeal cookies and shipping them off to 3 food bloggers for them to enjoy!
The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap began in 2011 and is hosted each year by Lindsary atLove and Olive Oil and Julie at The Little Kitchen. For the 4th year in a row, this event brings together food bloggers from around the world in celebration of all things cookie.
I was even more apt to join on board with this massive cookie swap when I found out all of the money raised by bloggers joining onto this cookie swap and any additional donations they may give go directly to the Cookies for Kids' Cancer program.
Not only did I get another excuse to bake up some cookies in the oven and ship them off to some lucky food blogger recipients, but I also got to contribute to a great cause. Cookies for the win!
I was even more apt to join on board with this massive cookie swap when I found out all of the money raised by bloggers joining onto this cookie swap and any additional donations they may give go directly to the Cookies for Kids' Cancer program.
Not only did I get another excuse to bake up some cookies in the oven and ship them off to some lucky food blogger recipients, but I also got to contribute to a great cause. Cookies for the win!
First to arrive were these Apple Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Dough Bites from Farrah at Fairyburger. Turns out Farrah and I also have a love for cats and we've quickly connected in the blogging world ever since I received these FANTASTIC cookies. Thanks, Farrah!
Next to arrive was a Christmas Santa cookie tin full of Whole Wheat Peppermint Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies from Heather at Divas Run for Bling. How did you know that dark chocolate is one of my favorites, Heather? Yum!
For my own cookie contribution, I went with these sweet little treats. They have a chewy texture and the sweetness of the butterscotch morsels really balances out with the tanginess of the dried cranberries. Cranberries are festive and butterscotch is one of my favorite flavors. That's how these cookies came to be born.
I actually didn't receive a third dozen of cookies this year, but I will NOT be complaining with the abundance of cookies and treats already around my house right now. Probably a good thing for my waist line.
Butterscotch Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Serves: 22 cookies
Ingredients:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temp.
1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar blend OR regular brown sugar
1/4 cup stevia
1 large egg
1 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup white whole wheat flour OR whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup rolled quick oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together the butter with sweeteners of your choice (I used stevia and Splenda brown sugar blend) using a handheld or stand mixer until smooth. Add in the egg, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Beat again until just well incorporated.
In seperate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this mixture to the wet mixture slowly. I added about 1/3 of the dry mixture to the wet mixture, blended it well, then the second 1/3 portion of the dry mixture, etc.
Stir in the oats, cranberries, and butterscotch chips until well incorporated. Drop the dough by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets with parchment paper. Press the dough down just slightly to result in a flatter cookie. Bake 10-12 minutes until just golden brown.
Remove from oven, allow the cookies to set on baking sheets for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool down.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temp.
1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar blend OR regular brown sugar
1/4 cup stevia
1 large egg
1 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup white whole wheat flour OR whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup rolled quick oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together the butter with sweeteners of your choice (I used stevia and Splenda brown sugar blend) using a handheld or stand mixer until smooth. Add in the egg, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Beat again until just well incorporated.
In seperate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this mixture to the wet mixture slowly. I added about 1/3 of the dry mixture to the wet mixture, blended it well, then the second 1/3 portion of the dry mixture, etc.
Stir in the oats, cranberries, and butterscotch chips until well incorporated. Drop the dough by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets with parchment paper. Press the dough down just slightly to result in a flatter cookie. Bake 10-12 minutes until just golden brown.
Remove from oven, allow the cookies to set on baking sheets for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool down.
To find out what the other Food Blogger Cookie Swap participants baked up this year, head on over to the link up HERE to see just how massive and widespread we can share cookies and help raise money for a great cause!
Linking up with Mary for Delicious Dish Tuesday
And Heather over at Housewife Glamour for Friday Favorites because these are my new favorite cookies to bake up.
What is your favorite type of cookie?
Are you doing a cookie swap this year or have you ever participated in one?
Are you doing a cookie swap this year or have you ever participated in one?
