Gluten Free Oatmeal & Flax Cranberry Cookies

So, apparently I can only manage to post once a week these days {even though I've been in the kitchen whipping up things like Spicy Baked Cajun Sweet Potato Fries, Coconut Curry Chicken & Rice, Creamy Parmesan Quinoa Pasta with Asparagus, fluffy Blueberry Pancakes, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Jammy Thumprint cookies...} without completely overwhelming myself and ending up in the fetal position.

It's been a weird week. For starters, I began the week thinking that we were going to be moving out... this weekend. Don't ask. {But just to clarify, it was by our own devices, not due to eviction or any juicy reason that would make for good reading material.} Turns out we're staying put for a little bit, but I think I expended way too much energy getting wound up over everything going on, and consequently, haven't properly documented anything to share with you. {Read: I ate all of the delicious aforementioned foods without taking any pictures. Sometimes I like to eat my meal while it's still hot and not examine every angle that I could photograph it in my poorly lit apartment. So, sue me. :P}

But now that I know {for the most part} that I will not be packing up our belongings at lightning speed this week, I can get back to focusing on the important stuff. You know, like cookies.

I know I have been posting WAY too many sweets lately {sorry health nut friends!}, but it's just so hard to keep these recipes to myself when they turn out so fantastically that all I want to do is stuff my face shout their praises from my rooftop...er... laptop. So bear with me. Or close your browser. I won't know which you choose. {Or maybe I will... I have my sources... You think about that.} ;)

I do, however, have good news about the recipe I am about to share with you. It is semi-healthy. {No, that's not anything like Semi-Homemade. I've read some of the things out there about how people feel about that and, man, can people get snarky over a tub of whipped topping.} So, you can feel semi-good about eating a few of these and still semi-fit into your jeans. Or something like that. But, yeah, back to the cookies.

These cookies contain one of my favorite ingredients: flax. I currently have a little food crush on flax. It has this nutty crunchiness that is really yummy and satisfying. And it's good for you, too. I tried to find information about the health benefits, but when I got to the words "8th Century" and "King Charlemagne", my eyes sort of glazed over and I just wanted to eat another cookie. Suffice it to say, flaxseed goes way back and is in the elite category of foods containing "good fats". You had me at "good". {Let's forget the "fat" part, shall we?}

Guess what else? These cookies are gluten free... and more importantly... they actually have the texture of a real cookie! Imagine that. {If you've experimented with gluten free baking, you know that proper texture can be an issue.} The chewy, oatmeal raisin-like texture of these will keep you reaching for "just one more".

So, without any further ado.... Gluten Free Oatmeal & Flax Cranberry Cookies. Yum.

Gluten Free Oatmeal & Flax Cranberry Cookies
Adapted from King Arthur Flour

• 6 tablespoons softened butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup GF baking mix {I used Pamela's Products brand}
• 3/4 cup GF rolled oats (not instant or quick cooking)
• 1/4 cup whole flax meal
• 1/4 cup whole flax seeds
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts {I only had a few tablespoons left in the pantry so mine weren't too nutty, but add as many as you want}

 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and water until fluffy.

2. Mix in the flour, oats, flax, and dried fruit and nuts.

3. Refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour, for the flax and oats to soften.

4. Scoop the dough by the rounded tablespoonful onto greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Using the bottom of a drinking glass or measuring cup, flatten dough balls into 1/2 inch disks. {Dip into granulated sugar to keep from sticking.}

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes.