Strawberry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

These delightful cookies sing out summer to me. We love them. You can substitute honey for the apple syrup.

• Ready In: 31 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1  cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1⁄4 cups brown sugar
• 3⁄4 cup white sugar
• 1  tablespoon  pure apple  syrup or 1  tablespoon honey
• 2  teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2  eggs
• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 3⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3  cups rolled oats
• 1  cup chocolate chips
• 1⁄2 cup walnut pieces
• 1 1⁄2 cups strawberries, hulled (cut in halves or quarters, depending onsize)
• 1⁄2 cup raisins
•  halved strawberry, as garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F Line some baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream together the butter with the sugar and apple syrup. Then add in vanilla and eggs and blend well, about 3-4 minutes. Fold in dry ingredients, including oatmeal. When just about blended, fold or mix in chocolate, nuts, strawberries and raisins. Try not to break up berries too much but but you cannot avoid this completely.
3. Drop by heaping tablespoons on prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches or more, between each cookie. Press gently and garnish center of cookie with a strawberry half.
4. Bake about 12-16 minutes until cookies are set, and middles are slightly dry looking and edges have begun to brown.
5. Let the cookies cool ten minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Makes about 12 large cookies.