Posted by A look back to 2013 when I created and posted this recipe…
As mother to 7 hungry growing children, finding foods that everyone likes has always been a challenge. When it comes to cookies, each person has an opinion…one dislikes coconut, another nuts, another cranberries and another oatmeal. One thing is certain…everyone agrees that anything with chocolate is completely acceptable! And that can be any kind of chocolate.
Just to stir things up (no pun intended here), I decided to use all of these ingredients in one cookie! Yes, that’s right and guess what? Amazingly enough, every member of my family loves this cookie, despite the various ingredients!
We’ve been through tough times and our share of struggles. Blending our lives wasn’t easy but it has been worth every step that we’ve taken together. Each person in our family agrees that we are better now than we would have been without each other. I guess you could say that these cookies are like our family…Better Together!
Jump forward 13 years…
It is now 2026 and I am currently volunteering as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with my husband in Starkville, Mississippi. We teach religious classes for students of our faith and their friends on campus at Mississippi State University (MSU). We also teach another class here in town and a third class in Tupelo, about 80 miles away. The Southern hospitality is alive and thriving here in Starkville where we have been embraced and loved by everyone. Making a batch of cookies allows us to show our gratitude. And, having to bake this recipe in a new oven has provided some extensive taste-testing opportunities!
I hope you make my Better Together Cookies and see how good all of these ingredients are when combined. Just like our family back home and our new friends in Starkville, as we share light and love, we will always be better together!
Better Together Cookies
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 bag white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350º. Measure dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in vanilla and eggs until combined. Add dry ingredients in two parts, scraping down sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the rolled oats and coconut. Stir in the cranberries, white chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
For best results, use a medium sized ice-cream scoop to place dough on cookie sheet; then flatten with the bottom of a cup or glass (dipped in sugar).
Bake for 11-13 minutes. Yield: 3-4 dozen cookies.
Root Notes
- It’s best if the butter and eggs are at room temperature. If you’re short on time, microwave the butter in 5 second intervals until it’s softened and place the eggs in warm water for a few minutes.
- I often omit the nuts to protect those with nut allergies.
- Pro tip: Remove cookies from oven. Place a wide mouthed glass over cookies and swirl in circles until the cookie is perfectly round.
Family ~ Food ~ Roots 