Cookie Craving

I've been craving some oatmeal cookies for the past few days. It's not my normal kind of craving. Usually I want anything and everything chocolate chip so I had to look long and hard for a recipe to try. Many recipes insisted that the key to a great oatmeal cookie is to include plumped raisins but I'm more of a cranberry kind of person. I also wanted something with a somewhat healthy twist since I'm not the only cookie monster in the family. I saw several recipes that called for apple chunks but I was afraid that they would frighten away the cookie monster before he even took a bite! So I settled on another smitten kitchen recipe, since she never disappoints, and tweaked a few things to make them a little healthier. BUT, who am I kidding?! A little substitution of whole wheat for all-purpose flour and an added apple can't undo the effects of all that butter. Plus the white chocolate chips probably made this even unhealthier than the original recipe. Maybe next time I'll be brave and sub out some butter and sugar for banana purée or something...

Oatmeal Apple Cinnamon Cookies
(adapted from Smitten Kitchen's "Thick, chewy oatmeal raisin cookies")

Ingredients:
1 C butter, softened
1 1/3 C light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C white whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp (rounded) table salt
3 C rolled oats
3/4 C dried sweetened cranberries (or other dried fruit)
3/4 C white chocolate chips (or dark chocolate or nuts)
1 medium apple, peeled and grated (I used a pink lady)

Cream butter and sugar and then beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl add flours, baking soda, and spices and mix well. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture then fold in oats, apples, dried fruit and chocolate chips. Dough will be wet and sticky so use a melon baller to scoop dough onto a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in the refrigerator to set the dough. Once balls are set, bake at 350 deg for about 12 minutes. Freeze any unused dough in a freezer bag.