Halloween is over.
It snowed (only a bit of ice as evidence the next day, but still).
I’m wearing sweaters and wool socks.
These facts can only be deduced to mean one thing: it’s time for me to start watching Love Actually.
Fritz is working away at the desk making a denture or something, and I’m watching my favorite movie of all time (well, tied with every single Harry Potter movie, and The Holiday, and Edward Scissorhands, and Lord Of The Rings (all of them), and probably a million more) while drinking a glass of Chardonnay and blogging on my new MacBook while Henry snuggles next to me.
Life is good. Real good.
Oh, and I also have whole-wheat cranberry chocolate chip cookies to keep me company.
Whole-Wheat Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies (recipe adapted from here)
- 1 C butter (2 sticks), chilled
- 1 C brown sugar
- 1/2 C white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 t vanilla
- 1 1/2 t baking powder
- 1 t baking soda
- 1/2 t salt
- 2 C whole-wheat flour
- 1 C all-purpose flour
- 1/4 C wheat germ
- 1 C frozen cranberries (whole)
- 1 C chocolate chips
Just as an FYI before you begin, I used the cranberries frozen on purpose, not just because I’m a lazy baker (though that may have played an eensy role in it as well). Between that and the cold butter, the dough will still be quite cold when it’s all mixed up. This helps the dough keep from spreading and making weird flat cookies during baking. You could also just do whatever you want and then chill the dough before scooping, but that requires planning.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream the (cold) butter and sugar together in the mixer. If you don’t have a mixer…I’m sorry. You’ll probably want to use it at room temperature and then chill the dough later. Add the eggs and vanilla and blend.
Next, add in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, then stir in the chips and frozen cranberries. Taste the dough. Taste it again.
One more taste.
Because the dough was so cold, I was able to roll it into small balls and press them flat between my palms, making nicely shaped and relatively standardized cookies. This dough made 36 fair-sized cookies. Bake on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes until browned on the bottom and slightly golden on top–I like my cookies soft and probably slightly undercooked, so I went nearer the 12-minute mark for mine.
Let them cool on the sheets (it keeps them from breaking apart while they’re still warm and malleable), then eat a ridiculous amount of them for lunch while you are taking pictures of them for your blog. I also froze half of them once they cooled for a future treat.
I brought five of these to school for some random taste-testers and they received rave reviews (including “best cookie I’ve ever had”). The best part about them, in my opinion, is the fresh cranberry burst (don’t use craisins! I beg you!) alongside a chocolate chip. The cookie itself is not too sweet, but the perfect background for the mix-ins.
I will definitely be making these again. For some reason I struggle with cookies (they never come out exactly the way I want, except for the perfect bake sale cookie–the double trouble chocolate chip), but these were more than satisfactory. Chewy and gooey with chocolate and fresh, tangy cranberries to add a little fall flair.
These would be perfect for Thanksgiving, by the way.
Tomorrow Fritz and I are having dinner with Fritz’s dad, Johann, and his sister, Eber, in Brooklyn at a South African restaurant called Madiba–we’re super excited to try a new place, and even more excited to see his family. I wish these Thursday night dinners with various fathers were a regular occurrence (my dad was last week).
Good night, all!
4 comments
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Scott
November 2, 2011 at 10:17 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Sounds like a great concept, Lauren! I’ll try these.
Rande McDaniel
November 3, 2011 at 2:56 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Fantastic taste in movies
KJ
November 3, 2011 at 10:27 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Hands down, the best chocolate cookie of all time. thanks for sharing Lauren!
Kristen
November 4, 2011 at 9:40 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Yum! Those do look perfect for Thanksgiving..hint hint