These pomegranate oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are flavored with orange zest and extract to make the perfect winter themed cookie. A great addition to your holiday baking!
I’m sure you all have your favorites or family traditions when it comes to holiday cookies. I know my family certainly does.
In case you’re curious, you’ll always find lemon iced cookies, biscotti, chocolate thumbprints weirdly filled with those fake candy cherries (I prefer these more classic vegan thumbprint cookies) and pecan crescent cookies on our Christmas baking menu.
Pignoli cookies are always there as well but often from the bakery unless I commit to making my version.
And while not a cookie, apricot brandy pound cake always makes an appearance Christmas Eve night. I still stand by this being the best pound cake in all the world. Trust me, make it.
That said, I’m always game for trying something new.
In fact, I’m sitting here wondering why we even do those weird chocolate ones with the fake cherries when there are so many better options out there!
These chocolate cashew cookies would be a great alternative and definitely a better ingredient list…
A leftover pomegranate from a photoshoot inspired these pomegranate oatmeal chocolate chip cookies this season.
And upon tasting one still warm out of the oven, my annoyance at having to get the seeds out of the delicious yet highly annoying pomegranate fruit completely vanished.
There are few pomegranate recipes that leave me feeling that way (because let’s be real, it’s a PIA fruit to deal with) but this pomegranate salsa is another one where the effort is validated.
Texture wise think of an oatmeal raisin cookie colliding with a chocolate chip cookie because that’s exactly what you have in these pomegranate oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
You get that little bit of softness in the middle from an oatmeal cookie except with the crunchy exterior of a chocolate chip cookie and then of course, chocolate chips instead of raisins.
Is there even a better marriage of two cookies out there?
Try these cranberry chocolate chip cookies for something similar. An old recipe (with REALLY old, horrible photos!) but still legit.
Complementing the bursts of sweet pomegranate is fresh orange flavor making these pomegranate oatmeal chocolate chips cookies just a little bit more special than your average chocolate chip cookie.
They’re sweet but not overly so, bursting with winter flavors and still classic enough (does it get more classic than chocolate chip cookies?) to be approved by the masses.
So if you’re looking to expand your holiday cookie horizons this year, give these a shot.
They whip up easily and definitely don’t require any special or unusual prep.
They can also easily be made gluten-free, see the note in the recipe below for my suggestion there.
A simple swap of gluten-free baking flour is all you need! I suggest this one.
I also love these gluten-free peppermint snickerdoodles for the holidays!
More holiday cookies to try:
Chocolate Drizzled Matcha Shortbread Cookies
Chocolate Dipped Cashew Almond Butter Cookies with Candied Sage
Almond Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Dark Chocolate Dipped Orange Macaroons
Orange Pomegranate Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
These pomegranate oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are flavored with orange zest and extract to make the perfect winter themed cookie.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour (*see note for gluten-free)
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 2/3 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- zest of 1 orange
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon orange extract (optional but adds to orange flavor)
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 2/3 cup pomegranate arils
Instructions
- Combine flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
- With a hand-mixer in a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together on high speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg, orange zest and extracts and beat again until thoroughly incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips and pomegranate arils until combined.
- Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
- During last 10 minutes of refrigeration, preheat oven to 375°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Spoon the dough out (about 2 tablespoons each) onto the baking sheets leaving about 2 inches of space between each.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes (I did 14 minutes, rotating sheets half way through baking) until edges just start to turn golden brown but middles are still somewhat soft.
- Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring the cookies to a cooling rack.
Notes
*You can substitute a gluten-free flour blend to keep these gluten-free. I like using Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 125Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 87mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 2g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.
Kathryn
Sunday 20th of November 2022
So yummy! Perfect way to use our excess of pomegranate arias. I used gluten free flour.
Marg
Thursday 16th of December 2021
Can these be frozen?
Gina Matsoukas
Thursday 16th of December 2021
I haven't tried that with these but I would assume they could. The only cause of concern would be how the pomegranates will hold up to thawing. They could potentially turn a bit mushy after freezing.
Heidy
Monday 13th of December 2021
This recipe sounds fantastic, and I am betting my family would love it. I have almost everything for it, so I think I will be making this recipe this week. Thanks for the great tips and instructions. Happy Holidays!
Alisa Infanti
Monday 13th of December 2021
The pomegranates in these add such a nice little crunch.
Julie
Wednesday 26th of December 2018
I need to get this on my baking list!
Running to the Kitchen
Wednesday 26th of December 2018
Wish I could've sent you some - had SO many cookies!