Monday, May 2, 2011

Cranberry Chocolate Pecan Cookies



I love a nicely balanced cookie. This is a nicely balanced cookie.
A little chocolatey sweet with a bite of cranberry and some mellowness from the pecans.

What more could a girl want?
These are NOT low fat. I did not make some of my usual healthy substitutions in these and they are NOT a health food item... and I love them.

Yields: 4-6 dozen depending upon how large you make them!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips of your choice (I like to chop up a few dark chocolate bars - big chunks!)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup pecans, chopped (not too finely - I like chunks!)

In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until well mixed. Add in the vanilla and then one egg at a time, beating until well mixed.

In another bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking soda until well blended.

Add the dry mixture to the wet one cup at a time, mixing in between until blended.

Once mixed, pop into the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to harden up a little bit.

A few minutes before you pull the dough out, preheat oven to 375°F.

I like to use silpats or parchment on my cookie sheets. They make fast work of the clean-up!

Drop the dough by teaspoon full onto either silpats, parchment or UNGREASED cookie sheets. Leave room between the cookies as this dough spreads a lot!


Bake for 8 minutes, checking at 6 minutes until you know how
long your oven takes. I have what I'd call a slow oven in the new house and it takes me 8-9 minutes. In my oven at my former apartment these baked in 6-7 minutes.

Take them out when they begin to brown and the top looks a little crackley.
You'll know what I mean!

Transfer to the wire rack and let cool enough so that you don't burn your tongue on the hot chocolate, but not so long that you don't get at least ONE
(who am I kidding with one?) when the chocolate is still runny and gooey!

All that's left is to enjoy the cookies...and the clean up!
National Cookie Week Art:
Art by Gerard Conte ©2011

3 comments:

  1. those look pretty darn yummy...i love a crispy buttery cookie...there is nothing like it! i had no idea it was national cookie week...i must be living under a rock :)

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  2. i've gained a pound just reading the recipe. delicious. i need to give this recipe a try.

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  3. Looks fabulous! With 3 sticks of 'butta' and chocolate, it's GOT to be good!

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