Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Fruit Cookies

Hail to cooking inspiration! The other day while at Trader Joe's, I was browsing their marvelous assortment of dried fruits and nuts and trail mixes. It dawned on me that I should try using some dried fruit in my next cookie batch!
Before Andrew, it was a common wintertime activity for me to make chocolate chip cookies with pecans. In fact, it was so common, I am surprised this tried and true recipe is not on the blog yet! Well, regardless, this new recipe is healthier and tastes great! It was even 'healthy enough' that I allowed my child to eat cookies for dinner!

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups rolled oats (preferable but instant are fine)
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup dried fruit, of personal preference (tried blend of strawberries, blueberries and cranberries)

Adjust oven racks to low and middle positions (for 2 cookie sheets). Preheat to 350º (325º for nonstick cookie sheets). Spray with nonstick spray or cover in parchment.

In a medium bowl, blend flour, baking powder and salt.

Either by hand or with a mixer, beat butter on medium speed until creamy. A Kitchenaid stand mixer is perfect for this. Add the sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time.

While mixing as minimally as necessary, add the flour mixture. Once combined, add all the oats and blend. Then add the chocolate and fruit.

You can use the dough right off or, as I did, save it for tomorrow. Make sure to tightly wrap any dough you put in the fridge (or freezer, too). Any fats (butter) quickly absorb other odors in the fridge (onion scented cookies, anyone?).

Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough with a spoon and place on sheets, 2" apart. Try to keep the tops looking rough and don't over-handle the dough, rather pat together any crumbly dough parts.

Bakes until the edges are golden and some of the tops turn light golden, around 20 minutes, switching cookie sheet locations halfway through (top to bottom, front to back).

The cookies should be removed to a rack to stop browning (don't burn them!) and are cool enough to eat in about 10 minutes.

Share the love with your friends and they will disappear fast!
So fast that you won't even remember to take a photo of them! ;D