Cranberry in the Coconut

That's right...another "in the coconut" cookie. I got the idea for this one from a jar of cranberry-coconut jam I saw in Mumma's fridge when I was home for the Cranberry Harvest Festival.

This isn't my XXX Cranberry recipe, which I will post soon, but I do use three sources of cranberry flavor: cranberry sauce, cranberry juice, and dried cranberries.

These guys can go crispy pretty quickly, so make sure you keep an eye on them when they're in the oven. I got sucked into a tower defense game, and a sheet's worth (OK...two sheets' worth) of cookies got a little too golden brown, if you know what I mean.

The cranberry doesn't pack an overwhelming punch of flavor. Instead, the combo of cranberries, white chocolate, and coconut gives a nice balance of tart and sweet, rich and bright. And (if you don't bake them too long), there's also a nice texture balance of chewy and crunchy.

I froze some of the dough and will bake them off later--maybe even for Thanksgiving.

Makes 4+ dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Cranberry in the Coconut Cookies.)

Creamables	2 sticks butter 2 cups dark brown sugar
Wet Ingredients	1 egg yolk 1/3 cup cranberry sauce 1/4 cup cream of coconut 2 tablespoons cranberry juice 1 tablespoon coconut extract 1 tablespoon vanilla
Dry Ingredients	3 1/2 cups oatmeal 2 cups toasted coconut 2 cups dried cranberries (craisins) 1 1/2 cups flour 1 cup white chocolate chips 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
3. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk together until smooth.
4. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
5. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
6. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
7. Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
8. Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
9. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

Comments

[Princess Ariele]

These are very yummy! I really like the flavor combination.
How about doing a peanut butter chocolate cookie next?

[AJ]

These look really good. Gotta start baking.

[Mumma]

I hope you're planning to make some of these for our Thanksgiving celebration!! And some of the Cranberry Crunch ones would be great, too.

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hey, Alicia. If you try these, let me know how they come out! :-)

Hey, Mumma. Yup...I've got a bag of dough in the freezer so that I can pop some in the oven when you all come down for T-giving. I thought we were going to have eggplant parm for dinner, not cookies!

[Mumma]

I can go to Mamma Mia's any day of the week for eggplant parm, but homemade oatmeal cookies are a rarity. Looking forward to everything you are going to cook for us!!