Healthy Cookies and an OXO Giveaway! {WINNER ANNOUNCED}

** CHECK SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM TO SEE IF YOU WON!**

**GIVEAWAY ENDED 04.01.12 at MIDNIGHT**

I know, it sounds gross, "healthy cookies."  probably taste like cardboard.  Well, let me tell you, they don't.  Come on, you think I would post something that tastes like cardboard?  I thought you trusted me.  These cookies are so fantastic you really can't tell they are healthy.  I promise.  

I found the recipe a few years ago on the back of the dried cranberry package.  I tweaked it just a bit by using whole wheat flour and adding a little almond extract.  Let me tell you, the results were wonderful.  A hearty yet sweet, delicate cookie.  I heart this cookie and it is good for my heart. Win.Win baby. 

Speaking of winning, I bet you are wondering what the giveaway is.  Well it is a OXO Food Scale with Pull-Out Display.  Here is a little about it from the experts at OXO: OXO’s user-friendly Food Scale with Pull-Out Display is perfect for weighing all ingredients. Weigh items directly on the platform, on a plate or in a bowl, and pull the display away from the base to prevent shadowing from large plates and bowls. Accurately measure ingredients when cooking and baking and stick to a diet by weighing portions. 

Sounds cool huh? It sure is!  I used the one OXO gave me to try out through the OXO Blogger Outreach program to make this recipe.  It was fun trying something new since I didn't have a food scale until just a week ago.  I can honestly say I love it, super easy to use and I love that it has a pull out display so even if you have a large bowl you can see what the weight is.  Love this thing.  Oh and can I add it came with the batteries.  Seriously, that is awesome.  I can't tell you how many times I buy something and there are no batteries.  Am I the only one who doesn't own a single set of batteries!?  OXO, I love you. 

Here is where it gets good--OXO gave me one to give away to YOU!  One lucky reader will receive a scale to have for their own!  There will be a few ways to enter so read through this recipe and I will fill you in at the end.  

Let's get baking first.  

Musical Selection: The Bird and the Worm by: Owl City.  Just a cheery, happy song for Mr. Schwartz's long awaited return.  It has been 4 whole days and nights of single furry parenting. 

 First, I took a plate and placed it on the scale.

 Next, I zeroed it out so I could measure...

 The butter.  I know, I said these were healthy but really, the recipe makes 24 cookies.  So, that butter goes a far way.

 Once you measure the butter, add it to the bowl of your stand mixer.  You could also use a hand mixer for this as well. Beat the butter until fluffy.

 Measure the brown sugar just like you did the butter.  Zero the cup, then measure out 5 3/4 ounces of brown sugar.

 Add it to the butter.

 Cream them together until fluffy.

 Add the egg.

 Whip it together.

 Add a little almond extract.

Pause to take a picture of my cooking and blogging assistant.

 Moving on, work on the dry ingredients.  Measure out 3 1/2 ounces of Old Fashioned Oats.

 Then 7 1/2 ounces of whole wheat flour.

 Baking soda

 And salt.

 Mix them together.

 Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet while mixing slowly.  Mix until it is just combined.

 It will be a bit sticky but that is okay.  Don't over mix.

 Measure out three ounces of dried cranberries.

 Add them to the dough.

 Measure the white chocolate chips.

 Add them to the dough as well.

 Mix just to combine and using a cookie scoop...

 Drop onto a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake these in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes.

 They will come out all puffy and delicious like this.  If you press down in the middle they will still feel doughy, it is okay, you want them like that.

 Take them off of the cookie sheet and onto a wire wrack to cool.

 Cooling….

 I couldn't wait to try and I'm not sad I didn't.  The melty white chocolate, the slight tart of the cranberries oh and did I tell you they are HEATHY!?  Well as healthy as I could get them...

 Cookie stack.

 If only that lb was calories.  OXO, work on creating a calorie eraser! Ha, just kidding (kind of)

 Perfect with a cold glass of milk.

 Okay, on to the giveaway.  Here I'm showing you the slide out display.  Cool stuff huh?

This baby could be yours!  All yours!  

Here are the details:  1. You need to use Rafflecopter (the widget below) to enter the giveaway.  2. The giveaway will run starting today (March 25th) and will end at midnight on March 31st.  The winner will be announced on the blog on Sunday, April 1st.  You can enter several times over the next week by tweeting posting about the giveaway on Facebook or pinning this recipe on Pinterest.  

Good luck!!! 

Disclaimer: OXO sponsored this post and did supply me with one scale to try and one to give away.  However, as usual the opinions on this post, and every blog post, are my own.  The end.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONGRATULATIONS PHEOBE!  Thank you to everyone who entered!! 

Another giveaway will be going on very soon!  

Healthy Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

5 1/4 ounces (or 2/3 cup) room temperature butter 

5 3/4 ounces (or 2/3 cup) brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon almond extract 

3 1/2 ounces (or 1 1/2 cups) old fashioned oats

7 1/2 ounces (or 1 1/2 cups) whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt 

3 ounces (or 3/4 cup) dried cranberries

4 ounces (or 1 cup) white chocolate chips 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if you are using a hand mixer) and be a the butter until fluffy.  Add the sugar, scrape the bowl and mix on medium speed until fluffy.  Add eggs, mix on medium speed until combined.  Scrape the bowl.  Add the almond extract, mix.  

In a separate bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking soda and salt.  Mix.  

With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add the dry ingredients until just combined.  Scrape the sides of the bowl if needed.  Add the cranberries and white chocolate chips, mix with a rubber spatula until incorporated. 

Using a cookie scoop, drop the dough on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  They only need about an inch between each of them, the cookies don't spread much.  Cook for about 10 minutes, just until the edges are golden brown.  

Let cool on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling wrack. 

Enjoy!  

Recipe slightly adapted from the back of the Ocean Spray Craisins package.