White Chocolate Cherry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

I hadn't made any sort of oatmeal cookies in probably over a year, but last weekend I ended up making about 8 dozen...I am not much of a cookie fan I guess once they are cooled, just the warm ones straight out of the oven and the dough.  But it was Father's Day weekend, and my Dad has been bugging me to make him chocolate chip M&M cookies for over a year.  They are his favorite, and although I can't stand M&Ms he loves them.  So I made him a large batch of them over at his house so he could have some fresh out of the oven.  If you are interested, here is the link to that recipe:

http://fragrantvanillacake.blogspot.com/2010/06/garage-sale-cookies.html

So, while I was mixing up the dough for those, I decided to mix up another batch as well, but make it a cookie more to my enjoyment.  Instead of the M&Ms and chocolate chips, I added White chocolate chunks, dried cherries and toasted large flake coconut.  Also, to the usual cinnamon, I added cardamom and nutmeg, my favorite trio of spices for baking. 

They smelled wonderful, and were perfect right out of the oven while still warm!  The melty white chocolate, toasty coconut and slightly tart cherries went perfect with the substantial caramelly flavored oatmeal base. 

I shared a bunch of them with my boyfriend Scott, and he told me they were the best cookies he had ever had.  Maybe he is biased but they were pretty good for a cookie!  Maybe I will have to make oatmeal cookies again soon and not wait another year next time!  Here is the recipe for these if you would like to try some for yourself! 

White Chocolate Cherry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen

2 sticks Earth Balance Buttery sticks, (or organic butter) softened to room temperature

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large organic eggs

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp maple extract

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp nutmeg

3/4 tsp sea salt
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups toasted large flake coconut
2 cups chopped white chocolate
1 1/2 cups dried cherries

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and maple, and beat until well combined. Beat in the flour, soda, cinnamon, and sea salt until well blended. Mix in the oats until well combined, then add coconut, white chocolate, and cherries and mix until evenly distributed throughout the batter. Cover the dough and chill in the fridge for a few hours. When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack set at the middle position. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the cookie sheet 2 inched apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden, but not overbaked. Let cool on sheet a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack lined with parchment to cool. Meanwhile, use other cooled sheet to bake another batch and switch off with pans as cookies come out of the oven until all the dough is used up.