Orange Cranberry Crinkle Cookies

A classic Christmas cookie, chocolate crinkles, gets a face lift! 

This recipe uses a sugar cookie base in addition to cranberries and orange zest to make a refreshing cookie that will be a welcomed addition to any Christmas gathering. 

Orange Cranberry Crinkle Cookies – Adapted from Lauren’s Latest

Ingredients

• 1/2 C butter, softened
• 3/4 C sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 T orange juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 C chopped fresh cranberries
• Powdered sugar

Directions

Begin by creaming together 1/2 C butter with 3/4 C sugar.  Add in 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract and 1 egg, along with the zest of one orange and 1 T orange juice. 

Mix together 1 1/2 C white whole wheat flour, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. baking powder and 1/8 tsp. baking soda.

Add the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture 1/2 C at a time.  Mix until well incorporated. 

Then, stir in 1/2 C chopped cranberries. 

Fill a small bowl with about 1/4 C powdered sugar. 

Using a cookie scoop, scoop 1 T dough into the powdered sugar and roll until the cookie is covered in powdered sugar.  (Refill the powdered sugar as needed)

Place each dough ball onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. 

Bake each cookie sheet at 350 for 9-11 minutes.  Cookies are done when the edges are set. 

Remove from the oven and allow cookies to continue cooking for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week; for longer storage, freeze after baking. 

Enjoy! 

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Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

I don’t know about you, but when life is hard and there are no easy answers, I like to bake.  Baking and blessing others with baked goods somehow shares the love I’ve been given with others. 

This week has been a hard one – a massive tornado killing too many, hurting others and displacing hundreds.  An amazing cancer fighter gone. Then, yesterday, an accident on a school field trip that hits a little too close to home.

My heart breaks for lives that were changed in an instant. A painful reminder that our entire world is groaning awaiting the return of our Savior (Romans 8:22). 

These events don’t make sense to my finite mind.  For some, just like Job’s friends, they may call us to question the goodness of God.  For me, I know God is good.  So I trust Him despite hardship. 

The only response I know to these situations is to pray and bake.   

Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies – Adapted from Sunnyside Up

Ingredients

• 1/2 C butter (1 stick)
• 1/4 C plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 C sugar
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 C unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 4 C white whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 C quick cooking oats
• splash of vanilla
• 2 C dark chocolate chips

Directions

Cream together 1 stick of butter with 1 C sugar and 1/2 C brown sugar.  Add in 1/4 C plain Greek yogurt and 2 eggs, mixing well. 

Combine 2 C unsweetened applesauce with 2 tsp. baking soda. Stir well and watch that applesauce fizz! 

Mix in the applesauce mixture to the sugar, butter mixture.  Blend well. 

Combine 2 C white whole wheat flour with 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. cloves, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg and 3/4 tsp. salt.  When blended, add these dry ingredients to the wet ones. 

Slowly add the remaining 2 C of white whole wheat flour. 

Stir in a splash of vanilla and 1 C oats. 

Mix in 2 C dark chocolate chips. 

The dough will be soft.  You can refrigerate it for 30-45 minutes, but I just went ahead and made the cookies. 

Using a cookie scoop, scoop out cookies about 2 T large and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  These cookies will spread out, so don’t place them too close together.

Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned around the edges and set in the center. 

Cool on a cooling rack.

Enjoy! 

*Makes about 96 cookies.  After baking these are best stored in the freezer until ready to consume.  They will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature, but are best “fresh” or cooled from the freezer. 

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Cranberry Toffee Slice & Bake Cookies

If you are looking for a cookie gift for Christmas, these make a fun gift.  They are a slice and bake cookie, that you can wrap up and give the roll to your friend or neighbor for Christmas. 

They are a delicious cookie, with a fun twist – toffee.

Cranberry Toffee Slice & Bake Cookies – Anne in Wisconsin (via mom)

Ingredients

• 1 C butter
• 3/4 C sugar
• 3/4 C brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 C white whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 C oats (quick cooking preferred)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 C dried cranberries
• 1/2 C dark chocolate chips {be generous here}
• 1/2 C toffee bites

Directions

Cream together 1 C butter along with 3/4 C sugar and 3/4 C brown sugar. 

Add in 1 egg and 1 tsp. vanilla.  Mix well. 

Stir in 1 1/2 C white whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 C oats along with 1 tsp. baking soda and 1/4 tsp. salt. 

Then stir in 1 C craisins, 1/2 C chocolate chips and 1/2 C toffee bites.  Dough will be very stiff, so I recommend using your mixer to do this, or a wooden spoon. 

Divide the dough into fourths.  Shape each 1/4 of dough into rolls.  Wrap in plastic wrap and seal tightly. 

To gift – wrap each dough roll in butcher paper, tie ends with raffia or ribbon, and attach the baking directions below.  You may also wish to include the recipe. 

Freeze the cookie rolls. 

To bake:

1) Remove the roll from the freezer and allow it to sit on the counter for 10-15 minutes.

2) Slice the cookies into 1/2-inch slices and place each slice on a greased cookie sheet. 

3) Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. 

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Peppermint Crunch Sugar Cookies

Our baking day on Black Friday always brings out new recipes. 

This year, my mom found a new treat from the makers of Andes Mints:

I was beyond excited when I found this on the back:

For someone with a nut allergy, this was like winning the lottery.  I wanted to eat the whole bag.

All that excitement led us to an amazing new recipe: Peppermint Crunch Sugar Cookies … dipped in dark chocolate. 

Peppermint Crunch Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 recipe, thick & chewy sugar cookies
• 1 C Andes Peppermint Pieces
• 1/4 C dark chocolate chips or melting chocolate

Directions

Prepare the sugar cookies according to directions found here.  Before chilling the dough, stir in 1 C Andes Peppermint Pieces.  Then, cover and chill for 1 hour. 

Remove the dough from the fridge and use a 1-inch cookie scoop to place dough balls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet (or a cookie baking mat).  Flatten the cookies slightly.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes until cookies are set, but not over baked.  They will be just brown at the edges. 

Remove from the cookie sheet and cool completely on a wire rack. 

Now, these cookies are excellent as-is.  But, feel free to continue on to the next step.

When cookies are cool, melt 1/4 C dark chocolate in a small bowl.  Dip 1/4 of the cookie into the chocolate, pressing the chocolate onto the front of the cookie. 

Place on a cooling rack or onto a piece of waxed paper to dry. 

Enjoy!

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Giant Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

Two weeks ago, my sister turned 25.

To celebrate her birthday, my family & I surprised her with a giant pumpkin cookie – topped with dark chocolate frosting {I had to try a small cookie just to make sure it was safe.  It was}. 

My sister was super surprised that we made this giant cookie and brought it to the pool where she was coaching her team of synchronized swimmers!

The cookie was fabulous; worked wonderfully as a large cookie.  The girls at the pool loved the cookie too. 

Giant Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie – Adapted from FJiMK

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 C white whole wheat flour
• 1 C quick cooking oats
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 C unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 C applesauce
• 1/2 C brown sugar {not packed}
• 1/2 C sugar {slightly less works}
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 C sweet potato puree
• 1 C dark chocolate chips or raisins
• 1/2 recipe decadent dark chocolate frosting

Directions

Cream together 3/4 C butter along with 1/2 C brown sugar & 1/2 C white sugar.  Add in the applesauce and stir.  Then, add in 1 egg and 1 tsp. vanilla.  Finally, mix in 1 C sweet potato puree. 

Mix together 2 1/4 C white whole wheat flour, 1 C oats, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. cinnamon, & 1/2 tsp. salt. 

Beat together the wet & dry ingredients.  Stir in chocolate chips or raisins. 

Spread the cookie into a lightly greased half sheet cake.  Alternatively – shape into a giant pumpkin! 

Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes until cookie is set in the center and lightly browned. 

Allow the cookie to cool.

Then, cut into 40-ish bars. 

Frost with decadent dark chocolate frosting. 

Enjoy!

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