Pistachio Bark Oatmeal Cookies

Servings 20 cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies:

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup salted butter 1 stick at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup dried apricots chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup roasted, shelled pistachios unsalted
1/3 cup white chocolate chips

For the melted chocolate:

8 ounces good quality dark chocolate chopped
4 teaspoons shortening or coconut oil

Instructions

Make Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars together until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and continue mixing until thoroughly combined.
Add flour mixture, then oats, mixing until combined. Add dried fruit, pistachios and white chocolate chips mixing until well distributed.
For each cookie, scoop about 2 Tablespoons of the dough and roll into balls. Place cookies a couple inches inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set and golden around the edges. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.

Dip Cookies

Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper or waxed paper. Set aside.
When cookies are cool, place chocolate pieces and shortening in a small microwave safe bowl. Heat at 15-30 second intervals, stirring after each interval to distribute heat. Continue until chocolate is melted and shortening is fully incorporated.
Drop a cooled cookie onto the surface of the melted chocolate. Press down gently to let the chocolate coat the edges of the cookie. Lift cookie out of the bowl with a fork and place on a parchment or wax paper lined cookie sheet to set up.

Recipe Notes

*If you use salted pistachios, reduce salt to 1/8 teaspoon.

*I only use non-hydrogenated shortening, but you also could substitute coconut oil.

*Use a clean pair of kitchen shears, sprayed lightly with cooking spray, to easily cut up dried fruit. I aim to cut the fruit in similar sizes to the pistachios and cranberries.

*Once you dip the cookies, you can speed up the setting process by placing the tray into the refrigerator.

*Store these at room temperature separated by waxed paper in a covered container for up to 3 days. For longer storage, place them in freezer bags, using waxed paper to separate the layers and freeze them up to 2 months.