Have you ever traveled somewhere and wished you never had to leave? To a place so beautiful you could hardly resist the urge to weep. More than likely you too have been to places where you felt a strong, unexplained connection. A return trip to the Grand Tetons in Wyoming this past September validated everything I felt on my first trip there in May. I am beyond smitten with the photogenic vistas, the aura, the wildlife, and even the food. Particularly the droolworthy Homemade Brioche French Toast on a bed of whipped mascarpone and topped with an Apricot and Orange Compote from Persephone Bakery in downtown Jackson. I am still dreaming about that breakfast. If I had room in my suitcase I would have filled it with their jams, honey, breads, and baked goods. Especially their cookies.
As soon as I returned home, I did a search for recipes from Persephone Bakery (they really need to publish a cookbook). While I only found a very small handful of them, I did find an unverified recipe for one of their oatmeal cookies. As someone who happens to love oatmeal cookies, this recipe intrigued me. Made with brown sugar, dried cranberries and toffee bits (but no chocolate and no icing), a hint of cinnamon, and a fair amount of butter, I thought this was my kind of cookie. By now, you have already guessed it was.
In spite of the fact that there are already seven oatmeal cookie recipes on the blog, I knew there was room in my oatmeal cookie loving life for another one. One bite of these slightly sweet, a little bit salty, dense, deeply flavorful Iced Oatmeal Cranberry Toffee Cookies and I knew I wouldn't be the only one who discovered their oatmeal cookie eating life would never again be the same. These cookies are phenomenally delicious. They are the kind of cookie you will make to impress your family and friends, to enter into an oatmeal cookie throw down contest, and/or to just simply help you live your best oatmeal cookie life.
With the exception of toffee bits and dried cranberries, all of the cookie's ingredients are pantry staples. However, after you make these cookies, you will probably always have a couple of bags of toffee bits and dried cranberries in your pantry. After looking at the recipe found online, I made a few, simple changes. I increased the amount to dried cranberries to 1 1/4 cups, increased the amount of vanilla to 2 teaspoons, increased the flour from 1 1/3 cups to 2 1/8 cups, doubled the amount of butter, and added icing as a finishing touch. Without any direction as to how big or small to make these cookies, I decided using my large ice cream (2 1/4" in diameter) scoop to form the balls of dough would make them bakery sized. Additionally I decided to give the balls of dough a brief period of chilling (60-90 minutes) in the refrigerator before baking. Because chilling helps to ensure a really thick, chewy cookie. All of these decisions turned out to be good ones.
If you don't have a large ice cream scoop, you could use generously fill a quarter cup measuring cup to form the balls of dough. You want to end up with 16-17 balls of dough.
In a preheated 350 degree(F)F oven, the baking time for the cookies will range from 20-22 minutes or until they are golden brown along the edges. The cookies may seem a bit soft in the center, but they will firm up as they cool on the baking sheet. When placing the chilled balls of dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, press them down slightly (just enough to flatted the dome on the balls) before baking.
Once the cookies have cooled, use a spoon or fork to drizzle the icing. There are only three ingredients in the icing: confectionary sugar, whole milk, and vanilla. You can use regular vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. I used the paste because I wanted flecks of vanilla in my icing. There won't be a difference in flavor between the extract or the paste, but there will be a visual difference. For a 'bakery' finish look to your cookies, I highly recommend using the vanilla bean paste.
The kind of oatmeal cookies that I love have a bit of a crispy edge but they absolutely must be thick and chewy. And these Iced Oatmeal Cranberry Toffee Cookies deliver on both flavor and texture. More importantly, they are unlike any of the other seven oatmeal cookie recipes on the blog. While they may fall into the 'dessert' category, you could make a case for them falling into the breakfast category. After all, they are made with oatmeal!
If you are looking the perfect autumnal cookie, you have now found it. These Iced Oatmeal Cranberry Toffee Cookies are destined to be your new fall favorites! Although after tasting them, they might also turn into you new winter favorites!
Recipe
Iced Oatmeal Cranberry Toffee Cookies
Makes 16-17 large cookies - 4" in diameter cookies
Updated October 4, 2024
Ingredients
Cookies
3/4 pound (339g) unsalted butter, room temperature (e.g., 3 sticks of unsalted butter)
3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar (firmly packed if using a measuring cup)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/8 cups (277g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/4 cups (215g) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 cups (188g) dried sweetened cranberries
1 1/2 cups (225g) english toffee pieces (see notes)
Icing
1 cup (130g) confectionary sugar
2 Tablespoons whole milk (slightly more if consistency is too thick)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Directions
Cookies
1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter (approximately 1 minute).
2. Add in the brown sugar and beat until smooth (approximately 2-3 minutes).
3. In a small bowl, combine the lightly beaten egg with the vanilla. With the mixer on low, pour the mixture in a steady stream into the butter/sugar mixture. Beat until blended.
4. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, Kosher salt, and cinnamon. Add in to the mixture. Mix until blended but do not over mix.
5. Add in the oats, dried cranberries, and toffee chips. Mix until blended.
6. Using a large ice cream scoop (2 1/4" in diameter) form 16-17 balls. Place on a small baking sheet. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 60-90 minutes. Note: The balls of dough should weigh 3 ounces or 86g)
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Remove 6 dough balls and place (well spaced apart) on one of the baking sheets. Gently press down the top of each cookie (to remove the round dome). Bake the first batch of cookies for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown along the edges. Note: Check cookies at the 18 minute mark. If some of the cookies remain domed, press down lightly with a spatula. You want your cookies to have an even thickness.
9. Remove from the oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet. Note: For perfectly rounded cookies use a bowl or pastry ring to swirl the cookies to round the edges. Do this immediately when the cookies come out of the oven.
10. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
11. Allow all of the cookies to come to room temperature before icing.
Icing
1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the confectionary sugar, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
2. Use a spoon or fork to drizzle the icing over the room temperature cookies. Let the icing set.
3. Enjoy the cookies immediately or store in either cellophane (not plastic) bags or a baking tin. Keep at room temperature. Cookies will be good for up to 4 days.
Notes: (1) I buy my sweetened dried cranberries from Trader Joe's. (2) I used the Heath English Toffee Bits (i.e., Bits O' Brickle). The 8 ounce (226g) bag gives you only slightly more than you need in this recipe. Do not buy the toffee bits coated in chocolate.
Mormon Row, Grand Tetons, Jackson, Wyoming (September2024)
