Cranberry & Chocolate Cookies

Last year my husband and I went to the New York Chocolate Show.  One of the events on the day we were there was a cooking demonstration by Johnny Iuzzini, who we had watched as a judge on Top Chef: Just Desserts.  At the end of the demonstration Johnny mentioned that he'd be signing autographs over by the bookstore section, and aside from his own cookbook he would love for us to purchase another book - the Best Bake Sale Cookbook, which was published by the founders of Cookies for Kids' Cancer.  We thought it was such a good cause, that we made sure to purchase that book.

One of the recipes in it is for cranberry and chocolate cookies.  Essentially it's a chocolate chip cookie with the added yum of dried cranberries.  What's not to like???  I had made these previously to bring to a party and they were a hit there.  This year I participated in a holiday cookie exchange, and while I had a few ideas of what to send, I knew these were tried and true, so I opted to make these to send off to her.  I also included them in my gifts for my family for Chanukah along with a few other treats.

The cookies are extremely simple to make (basically just throw everything in the mixer and then put on a cookie sheet and you're done).  I hope that when they make it to my secret cookie exchange buddy she and her family enjoy them!

And if you get a chance to check out the charity's web site, please do; it's a great cause!

www.cookiesforcancer.org

Cranberry and Chocolate Cookies (as published in The Best Bake Sale Book)

yields 3 - 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

2 1/2 sticks (10 oz), unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

1 tbsp vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup quick cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

Directions

- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper

- Place the butter and sugars in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle and beat until smooth and creamy.

- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, one at a time, beating well between additions.

- Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

- Place the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl and mix well.

- Add the dry mixture into the butter mixture and beat until everything is well incorporated.

- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the chocolate chips and cranberries and beat again.

- Drop the dough by heaping teaspoons about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.

- Transfer to the oven and bake until the cookies begin to brown at the edges (12 to 15 minutes).

- Cool on the cookie sheet.

- Transfer to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining dough.