I created this Iced Oatmeal Christmas Cookie recipe last year when I was thinking about starting this blog. These cookie are so delicious, and I'm very proud of this recipe. I packed every Christmas flavor I could think of into these cookies. The warm spices go perfectly with the chewy oatmeal base, pecans, and brandy-soaked cranberries. These cookies are meant to go with a nice cup of tea - I recommend my favorite brand, Yorkshire.

The key factors for well-baked cookies are consistent oven temperature and weighing your ingredients. I bake these cookies at a lower temperature than most cookie recipes because modern ovens commonly have 20 degree temperature fluctuations. An overly warm oven means your cookies won't spread. I find my oven won't go over 350 degrees Fahrenheit if I set it at 325 which means my cookies will spread nicely, even if they take a little longer to bake. I recommend buying an oven thermometer so you can get an accurate gauge on your own oven. I've also ditched American baking measurements because I want these recipes to work in your home. It's just not possible to get consistent results without weighing at least your dry ingredients.

Ingredients

Cookie dough

• 240 grams all-purpose flour
• 4 grams baking soda
• 3 grams kosher salt
• 200 grams rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 226 grams unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
• 200 grams light brown sugar
• 150 grams white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon good quality vanilla
• 135 grams pecan pieces
• 100 grams white chocolate chips

Brandy soaked cranberries

• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup cognac or brandy

Icing

• 200 grams confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla

Instructions

Step 1

In a medium container with a tight fitting lid combine orange zest, cranberries, and cognac - stir together. Allow mixture to sit on the counter overnight (up to 12 hours).

Step 2

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and cover several full size baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 3

In a medium-sized bowl mix together flour, baking soda, kosher salt, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger - set aside.

Step 4

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl if that's unavailable), add room temperature butter and both sugars - mix together until smooth and fluffy. Next, mix in the egg and vanilla until well combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and gently fold in all of the dry ingredients. The mixture will seem dry, but don't worry - the dough will hydrate during resting time.

Once the dry ingredients are mixed in, add the brandy soaked cranberries, pecan pieces, and white chocolate. Using your hands, mix the ingredients into the cookie dough. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand for 25 minutes.

Step 5

Divide the cookie dough into roughly 1.5 ounce segments using a spoon or medium cookie scoop (you can weigh them if you want but it's not necessary), roll each segment into a ball, and place the balls onto a prepared cookie sheet. Bake cookies for about 14 - 16 minutes. Finished cookies will have light brown edges with a slightly soft center. Cool directly on baking sheet.

Step 6

In a shallow wide dish (I used a shallow cake pan) mix confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla. Mix until icing is thick. To decorate, either gently dip the tops of the cookies into the icing or use a spoon to drizzle the icing on top of the cookies. Frosting will set in about an hour. Store in an airtight container. Cookies are best eaten within 5 days.