How to spice up a tart cranberry

Everyone makes a mistake now and then. Recently I decided to work on a new cookie. For the upcoming holidays, a delicious Cranberry Orange cookie, with delightful spice and a nice chew to it.

I always start with a basic cookie recipe to test flavors on. I figured an oatmeal cookie base would take these flavors well. I was right, except for one thing, I did not read my base recipe correctly. There is a major difference between 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter and 1 pound (4 sticks) of butter. For some reason I read my base recipe as 1 pound when it was supposed to be 1 cup. Needless to say my cookies did not turn out very well.

Butter oozing out of a cookie while it is being baked is not a good sign.

Too much butter makes for a very crumbly cookie. It also allows your cookie to go from looking undercooked to burnt in about half a second. The point is to try again; and again; and again if necessary.

The best part of messing up was taking the time to try again and following my base recipe correctly. I have had to learn to slow down during this baking business launch. I have made it important to get it right. If I choose to cut corners or not read recipes then I don't get the best results and that is not what I want out of my company.

Introducing the correct and unmistakably delicious Cranberry Orange Spice Cookie. This cookie is a trip. First, direct your taste buds into a ruby red cranberry, which guides you toward perfectly chopped walnuts. The journey segues into a hint of orange zest and completes the epicurean expedition with a delicate burst of nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice. 

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temp.

1 tsp baking powder 1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt 2 large eggs

1 tsp cinnamon 3 Tbls dark molasses

1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 1/2 tsp orange extract

1/4 tsp allspice zest from 2 oranges

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats 1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts coarse sugar for sprinkling

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, prep 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

1. sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices into separate bowl.

2. in a large stand mixer on high, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and continue beating until mixture is no longer gritty when rubbed between your fingers (about 2 minutes).

3. add eggs one at a time, beat well between each addition.

4. beat in orange extract, orange zest, and molasses

5. add flour mixture on low speed, just until combined. Stop the mixer.

6. mix rolled oats, cranberries, and walnuts in separate bowl until evenly mixed (I reuse my flour mixture bowl). pour into mixer and mix on low until just combined.

7. drop the batter by rounded spoonful (use ice cream scoop or table spoon) onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2" apart. Bake until the edges are golden. About 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle the coarse sugar immediately after taking them out of the oven. Let cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

This recipe makes 3 dozen cookies.