Cranberry Oatmeal & Star Anise Cookies
I’ve made these cookies three times now. (I’m obsessed!) They have everything I love. They’re chewy, sweet and I adore the kick from the star anise. They’re vegan too which means it’s a requirement to eat as much cookie dough as humanly possible! Just a heads up, if you aren’t a fan of anise flavor than these cookies are not for you. However, if you’re a lover like we are than I think these cookies will be a hit. I was inspired to whip these up after I made my Cranberry & Star Anise Champagne Cocktails for New Years. If you have a reason to celebrate a special occasion in the near future I’d highly recommend making some. They were my favorite adult beverage in 2014 and these cookies are reminiscent of those delightful drinks. I had originally planned on blogging about them over the holidays but somehow time got away from me. Regardless, I’ve baked my third batch so Taylor and I can have these tasty treats in the car on our trip to the coast. These are great cookies to have around the house during the dark winter days and are a perfect treat first thing in the morning dunked into a cup of strong black coffee.
Cranberry Oatmeal & Star Ansie Cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 8-12 minutes Serves: 2 1/2 dozen cookies
- 1 cup whole grain spelt flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/2- 2 teaspoons finely ground anise seeds (can be purchased at the store or ground in a coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup honey (or maple syrup)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted enough to stir (can sub with olive oil too!)
- 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cranberries (organic if possible)
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (organic if possible)
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 375F with the rack in the top third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, oats, ground anise and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together the vanilla extract, honey and coconut oil. Mix until well combined. Stir in the walnuts, cranberries and white chocolate chips. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until well incorporated and a dough is formed. Taste test the dough (yay for no eggs!) and adjust seasonings if need be. We added more ground anise!
- Drop tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about two inches between each cookie. Bake the cookies, one baking sheet at a time, until the cookies are lightly browned on the bottom and top. About 10-12 minutes. Repeat with the second baking sheet of cookies. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool before enjoying.
Notes
*Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 days. *Cookies can be frozen for up to a couple of months. Just bring to room temperature before enjoying. *Cooking times will vary depending on your ingredients and specific oven.
These cookies look so delicious! I love oatmeal cookies but have never tried cranberries or star anise in them before… can’t wait to give it a go! x
Question:Am I grinding up actual star anise or seeds?
Just the seeds!! you want them to be extremely fine (like ground cinnamon). Hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we do!
What delicious oatmeal cookies! I am loving the addition of star anise here.. never have I used it in a cookie batter before.
I made these and they were good. I have star anise on hand, but never use it. So, this was a great use for it. I like the quantity that this recipe made, too – just 2 baking sheets and I was done. Thanks for the recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed them! They’ve become a staple in our house. I love the star anise combination with the oats and cranberries! Thanks for the comment. xo
Hi Andrea, made this recipe last night but did it Gluten Free….
1 C almond meal; (instead of flour)
1 C. GF oats,
2 tsp. ground anise seeds,
1 TBSP. vanilla,
Vermont maple syrup, ………
left walnuts very chunky,
used sweetened dried cranberries (on hand)
dark choc. chips (on hand)
and of course b. powder and coconut oil……….
When baking I always increase vanilla. The anise is very mild spice and could easily be increased a wee
bit more…
these are absolutely delicious and satisfying. I also believe they would ship well to grandkids
in college ! Thanks for sharing your wholesome recipes.
I love your additions! Thanks for posting them. We also added more anise to the batter when taste testing before putting the cookies in the oven. I wanted to aim semi low since some people are sensitive to the strong flavor. Thanks again for the lovely comment and happy cookie baking!
Since forever I’m looking for nice vegan healthy cookies to enjoy with a tea, and I’ve tried many recipes, but nothing was really amazing… Until these cookies! They are truly awesome and I think the best part is that they can be done in many variations by changing the spices or the nuts or the dried fruit you add. Thanks for this recipe ☺
Can you use regular whole wheat flour