I've been waiting for the holiday season to make these amazing cookies! Last week I finally saw fresh cranberries at my local grocery store and new it was finally time to try these cookies. These cookies use browned butter and are full of fresh cranberries, craisins, and chocolate chunks.
The first step is to make the browned butter. This step is optional, but will produce an extra nutty and flavorful cookie. To make browned butter, simply melt the butter on a stove and stir until it starts to bubble, turn brown, and smell nutty. Once this happened immediately take it off the heat so it doesn't burn. You'll need to let the butter cool until it starts to resolidify. The picture below on the left is the butter right after I pulled it off the stove. To the right, is a picture of what the butter should look like when you start to make the cookies.
Now the dough can be finished by adding in the wet and dry ingredients and mixing until combined. Next, add in the cranberries and chocolate and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Bake these cookies at 350F for 12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. The final cookie will be soft on the inside and crisp at the edges. The fresh cranberries add a tart twist that really makes these cookies perfection.
Recipe
Makes: 32 cookies Time: 25 minutes + 24 hours of resting
Ingredients
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1⅔ cups bread flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
1½ teaspoons coarse salt
2 3/4 sticks (1 cup + 6 tablespoons) browned butter, room temperature (use 2 1/2 sticks if you don't plan on browning your butter)
1¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks (60% or higher preferred)
2/3 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Directions
First, make the browned butter. This step is optional, but will produce an extra nutty and flavorful cookie. Melt the butter on medium-low heat and stir until it starts to bubble, turn brown, and smell nutty. Immediately remove from heat so it doesn't burn. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until solidified, but still soft. (If you don't want to brown the butter, use regular room temperature butter)
Sift together the cake flour, bread flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium sized bowl and set aside.
Cream together the brown butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, then add in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides then add the dry ingredients in batches, until just moistened. Fold in the chocolate, cranberries, and craisins until evenly distributed throughout dough. Press plastic wrap against the dough, and refrigerate for 24 hours to 72 hours. This is an important step, as it allows the gluten in the dough to loosen up.
When you are ready to bake, bring the dough to room temperature so that you can scoop it out (I usually let it just sit on my counter for an hour), and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line your baking sheets and scoop your dough out onto the sheets. Do not press the dough down as it will spread by itself. Sprinkle the cookies lightly with a bit of sea salt. Bake 10-12 minutes for smaller cookies, or 18-20 minutes for larger cookies.
Allow the cookies to cool slightly on your baking sheet, then move them to another surface to cool completely. You can enjoy these warm, room temperature, or cold, but they are definitely best the day they're made.
Base cookie recipe inspired by The Crepes of Wrath's The Infamous Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies, while the flavor was inspired by Bakerita's Double Cranberry Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
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