Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This keeps things neat and helps the cookies bake evenly.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars until it’s all nice and fluffy. You can use a hand mixer or just a whisk—either way, take your time with this step. The airier the dough, the softer your cookies will be.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until the dough is smooth and fully combined after each addition. Then, throw in the vanilla extract. That little splash of vanilla will make these cookies smell amazing while they bake.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Once that’s mixed, gradually stir it into the wet ingredients. I like to do it a little at a time to avoid flour flying everywhere.

Now, it’s time for the fun part: fold in the dried fruit, nuts, and oats. I always use a mix of whatever dried fruit I have on hand, but cranberries, raisins, or even dried apricots are favorites. The dough will be thick, but that’s what gives these cookies that chewy texture we all love.

Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, drop spoonfuls of dough onto your prepared baking sheet. Leave a little space between each one because they’ll spread out as they bake.

Pop them in the oven for about 10-12 minutes. Keep an eye on them—the edges should be golden brown, and the centers should still look a bit soft. That’s when you know they’re perfect.

Once they’re done, let them cool on the sheet for a couple of minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely (or just grab one while they’re still warm—no judgment here!).