These are soft, chewy oatmeal cookies with a fantastic orange flavor and a scent that is unforgettable.
Cardamom is intensely aromatic (if you are familiar with the fragrance of chai tea, it is likely the cardamom that you are remembering) and it adds a distinct flavor to these cookies.
Cardamom works beautifully in baked goods, but don’t worry if you don’t have it. The cinnamon with the orange zest is a fantastic combination on it’s own. Cranberries are always an awesome match for citrus and warm spices.
These cookies made me grin with each bite. I love the unexpected flavors and the way the orange zest wakes up this classic oatmeal cookie.


Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter softened
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar light or dark will work fine
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest one large orange
- 3½ cups old fashioned oats
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour *
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom optional
- 1 cup dried cranberries or craisins
* Gluten-Free Alternative
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- ½ cup tapioca starch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, vanilla and orange zest and beat until smooth again.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients except the cranberries. Gradually add this mixture to the wet ingredients, half at a time. Stir until fully combined. Add the cranberries and stir to combine.
- Using a medium size scoop or a rounded tablespoon, drop the dough onto a large baking sheet lined with a silpat mat. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven before the cookies are browned and when they still look soft in the center.
- Let them cool on the tray for at least 5 minutes; this will allow them to finish baking without overcooking. Transfer to a cooling rack and then store in an airtight container. These cookies will keep well for several days. Enjoy!
Jenn S says
I love this little twist on the plain old oatmeal cookie… would have never thought about orange spice!!
Chris Scheuer says
These look chewy and crispy and ……… delicious!
Sue/the view from great island says
Oh no, now you've got me going off on an orange and cardamom binge, these sound amazing, and I can imagine them as muffins, or pancakes, too!
Food Wholesalers says
These little gems make a delicious, hard-to-resist treat, but are also great as crusts !
Julie says
I make oatmeal cookies and just add orange or raspberry oil I get from the health food store into the recipe in place of vanilla…much easier…lol.