XXX Cranberry Cookies

If you liked my Blueberry Muffin Top Cookies, you'll love these. The two recipes are almost the same, but there's an added dash of orange juice and orange zest in the cranberry version. (Oh...and you can feel good about eating these because they're eggless.)

Longtime readers know I hail from cranberry country, so cranberry cookies are a no brainer. But why did I call these guys XXX? Simple...because I use three forms of cranberries: dried (craisins), fresh (or thawed frozen), and cooked. And because they taste so good it's obscene.

The cranberries cooked with orange juice and orange zest have a fresh, bright flavor that's the perfect background for the sweetness of the craisins and the tartness of the fresh cranberries. The white chocolate chips provide richness, and the ground-up Nilla Wafers lend a light vanilla-y note. A final roll in turbinado sugar before baking gives the cookies a crunchy exterior that contrasts the moist, chewy interior.

Makes 3 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing XXX Cranberry Cookies.)

Creamables	1 stick butter 1 cup dark brown sugar
Wet Ingredients	1/2 cup fresh cranberries 4 tablespoons milk 2 tablespoons orange juice 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 tablespoon orange zest 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Dry Ingredients	2 cups oatmeal 1 cup finely ground Nilla Wafer cookies 3/4 cup flour 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup halved fresh cranberries 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping	turbinado sugar

1. In a small saucepan, heat cranberries, milk, orange juice, orange zest, and white sugar over medium high heat. Stir with a wooden spoon, crushing the cranberries until the the mixture is smooth and evenly red.
2. Remove cranberry mixture from the heat and set aside to cool until Step 5.
3. Preheat oven to 350º.
4. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
5. Add vanilla to the cooled cranberry mixture. Whisk together until smooth.
6. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
7. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
8. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
9. Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
10. Roll each cookie dough ball in turbinado sugar.
    
11. Place the sugared dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
12. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and the tops are firm to the touch. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

Comments

[Em]

What if I want to make this but don't have milk or orange juice?

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hi, Em. I'm not sure if there are substitutes for the orange juice or milk. I'll think about it, though! You'll definitely need an orange for zest, so you can definitely squeeze enough juice from it to fulfill the recipe. (That's what I do when I use fruit zest and juice in a cookie: I microplane the zest, then I cut open the fruit and squeeze the juice.)

[Em]

Good idea. I have a blood orange, I'm assuming that will work. I'll give it a shot! I was just lazy and didn't want to go to the store.

[Jonnazz]

Can we have these for Thanksgiving??? Please?!?!

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hi, Em. Cool! A blood orange will work fine. :-)

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Yes, Jonnazz. I'll make these for Thanksgiving. :-)

[chelseathebaker]

I made these (and your Egg Nog Cookies) for my family Christmas this year. Boy, these went SUPER fast! I love the tartness of the cranberries combined with the sweetness of the sugar coating and white chocolate chips. Trust me, these will be put in my "regular" rotation. My test is if the dough tastes good, the cookie sure will. So far I've made three of your recipes and haven't been more pleased. I can't wait to try more, AND get inspired by your really inventful recipes. Keep 'em comin'!

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Thanks so much, Chelsea! I'm really, really glad you and your family liked the cookies. And I liked your comment so much that I made it a "blog-love" post. :-)

[Em]

For Cookie Monday I made these last night (3rd time I've made them) and they continue to be one of my favs. SOOOO good. I added some coconut flakes to a few at the end for my coconut obsessed roommate and those were quite tasty too!
Anyway, these make me feel so healthy, since they're chock full of oatmeal and cranberries- I feel like I'm eating a granola bar! Haha. I keep telling myself that so that I don't feel bad eating theme all.

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hi, Em. That's awesome! I'm so glad you and your friends like this recipe and that you do Cookie Mondays as well. Yay!!!

[Valsa John]

how do diabetics make a cranberry treat?

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hi, Valsa John. I'm working on it!

[kim]

These are amazing. I think we decided these were better than the STrawberry ones - and we thought those were the bomb! Thank you.
http://kimsstateoffood.blogspot.com/2009/12/triple-cranberry-cookies-amazing.html

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Thanks, Kim! :-)

[Marya]

Hi! Em's sister here. She made these cookies last week, and I decided after hearing again about how good they are, that I needed to make them for myself. However, I like to freeze cookies and make them week after week and not go through all the work every time. So my question is, can these freeze? (no matter what your answer, I intend to find out- same with the oatmeal choco chip. yes I'm going to make two batches of your cookies in one day. I'm on a mission).