Pecan & Fruit Cookies: a Delicious After-School Snack

Remember when you were a kid ... The next best thing to the end of the school day was coming home to warm cookies fresh out of the oven. Relive those days or make some memories with your own children by baking these delicious cookies that taste of "cinnamon and spice and everything nice."

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Yields: 5 dozen

Ingredients

• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1  cup butter, softened
• 1 1⁄2 cups brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup white sugar
• 2  eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1⁄4 cups  bran flakes
• 2  cups rolled oats
• 1 1⁄2 cups pecans, chopped and toasted
• 1  cup craisins
• 1⁄2 cup  dried apricot, chopped

Directions

1. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper; preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a medium mixing bowl combine together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl use an electric mixer (medium to high speed) to beat the butter for 30 seconds. Gradually add in the brown and white sugars; continue to beat until ingredients are combined. Remember to scrape the sides of your bowl while mixing.
4. Next, beat in the eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined. In 1/2 cup measurements, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until combined.
5. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the bran cereal, oats, pecans and dried fruits.
6. Drop the cookie dough in well-rounded teasponfuls on the lined cookie sheets - 2 inches apart.
7. Baked 12 to 15 minutes OR until golden brown and set. Cool on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes; transfer to baker's racks to finish cooling.