Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Fruit

It's no secret that my favourite cookie is oatmeal raisin. There is something about the hearty chewiness and mild sweetness that I find very comforting. A good oatmeal cookie is halfway to being a granola bar, likely more healthy than supermarket granola bars anyway, and can be eaten at any time of day. They are the perfect treat to have in the cake dome for random munchies.

But sometimes I like to switch it up a bit; try new recipes, and new fruits.
For these oatmeal cookies I have used dried figs, apricots, and cranberries. Each cookie is a jeweled treasure.

Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Fruit
adapted from BHG New Baking Book
for Cookbook Sundays #10

Ingredients
¼ cup each- dried figs, apricots and cranberries. Snip the figs and apricots.
¾ cup butter, room temp
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
½ cup chopped nuts, such as hazelnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F
Cream butter in your stand mixer with the paddle for a minute. Add in sugars and beat until well creamed.
Beat in baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda.
Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.
Add in as much flour as you can with the paddle. Then start stirring with a heavy duty wooden spoon.
Add the remaining ingredients - batter will be quite stiff.
Mix until evenly incorporated.
Drop by large Tbsps onto a prepared baking sheet. I use a disher.
Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes, rotate pans and bake another couple of minutes, until you just start to see some colour around the edges and a little on top.
Let cool on racks.