Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with a hand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture looks lighter in color and a little fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add the vanilla and the orange zest and mix for another 30 seconds. The zest will bloom into the butter mixture and you will smell it immediately. Do not be tempted to use less. Two tablespoons gives you real citrus flavor in every bite.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add this to the butter mixture and stir with a spatula just until no dry flour is visible. Do not overmix.

Add the oats and dried cranberries and fold them in until evenly distributed. The dough will be thick and a little stiff, which is normal.

Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten each one slightly with your palm. These cookies do not spread much on their own, so a little press helps them bake evenly.

Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are just set and lightly golden but the centers still look slightly underdone. They will firm up as they cool on the pan. Pull them at the shorter end of the time range for chewier cookies. Let them sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.