Something Sweet {Cranberry-Chocolate Cookies}

My contribution to the cookie swap this past weekend was chocolate-cranberry cookies.  I prepared a batch in the traditional way, according to the recipe and another batch that was gluten-free and vegan.  The original recipe comes from my friend Sheila.  We grew up together in Duxbury and lived together in Arlington for a year and a half.  She made these cookies once around Christmas and I loved them.

You’ll need:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 cups cranberries, chopped {I use one bag, no measuring required}
• 1 1/2-2 cups chocolate chips {again, one bag, no measuring required}

Preheat the oven to 375.

Put the butter, sugars and vanilla into your stand mixer.

Cream until it looks like this:

Add the egg, milk and beat until incorporated:

Sift all of the dry ingredients together and mix into the batter.  Once all of the dry ingredients are incorporated, remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the cranberries and chocolate chips.

Scoop batter onto cookie sheets.  The cookies don’t spread very much as they bake.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, depending on your stove.  17 minutes worked for me, just look for the tops to be starting to brown a little bit.

Be sure to taste one, just to make sure they’re good

{Can’t believe I just put this picture out there.  Lisa without makeup = YIKES Being honest, no makeup happens a lot.}

To make these gluten-free and vegan, simply make the following substitutions:

• Instead of 3 cups of all-purpose flour, use an equal amount of brown rice flour
• Instead of chocolate chips, use an equal amount of vegan chocolate chips
• Instead of an egg, use one flax egg {1 tablespoon flax mixed with 3 tablespoons water and set aside to thicken}
• Instead of milk, use an equal amount of almond milk

Can you tell the difference between the traditional and the gluten-free/vegan batch?

I sure can’t.  And neither can my husband, who did the blind taste test!

I love the tart combination of the cranberries with the chocolate–it definitely gets me in the holiday spirit. 

What about you?  What’s your favorite cookie to bake for the holidays?

Tagged as: cookies, desserts, edible gifts, holidays, vegan