Oktoberfest baking sale!!!PECAN, OATMEAL, CRANBERRY AND CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES.

My son goes to a wonderful Montessori school. They have a great tradition to organize the Oktoberfest in the middle of the October. This year the weather permitted us to have a great outdoor festivities only last weekend. We had a great sharing table for everyone and separate table of the baking goods. I want to share with you three great recipes that always sell first.

PECAN, OATMEAL, CRANBERRY AND CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES.

(ADAPTED FROM AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN)

1 1/4 cups unbleached flour (I use sometimes organic)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda (I just found that I always missed the soda, it was still fine)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup oats (old fashioned or quick doesn't really matter)
1 cup pecans chopped (you can use walnuts)
1 cup dried cranberry (I buy big bag of cranberries in Costco or you can find it NUT store)
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate chopped (I use semi-sweet Hersheys chocolate chips)
12 tbsp (1 1/2 stick) butter (NOT SALTED)
1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 oz ) light brown or dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
Heat oven to 350 F

Whisk flour, baking powder, soda, salt. Stir together oats, pecans, cranberries, chocolate chips. In standing mixer mix softened butter till creamy, add sugar slowly, beat until no sugar lumps remain. Scrap sides with spatula. Add egg+vanilla, beat about 30 seconds till fully incorporated. Add flour, mix for 30 seconds. With mixer running add the oat mixture. Mix just until everything is mixed fully and incorporated. Stop the mixer, and go with the spatula for the last mix of the dough. Take tablespoon of the dough, be generous (if you have doubts about how much to take, you can divide dough into 16 equal parts). Wet your hands, take one pat of the dough and shape it into the ball. Place them on the baking sheet 2 1/2 inches apart from each other. Press them slightly and bake for 12 minutes. I usually use two baking sheets and change their positions in the oven in the middle of the time. The cookies will look a little bit goldish brown on the edges and raw in the middle. That's the perfect stage to take them out of the oven and cool them on the baking sheet or 10-15 minutes. They will get harder after fully cooled. Transfer them from the sheets on the wire rack with the wide spatula.