Milk and (Chocolate, Pecan and Cranberry Cookies)

 

I started making chocolate chip cookies because I love eating cookie dough. That is still why I make them. When I am finished eating enough cookie dough to get a bellyache, I bake what's left of the dough and give to friends or take to work....

These are not chocolate chip cookies but close enough. To turn them into choc chip cookies, use dark or white choc-chips instead of cranberries....or smarties ....or mini m&ms. If you want a white cookie, omit the the cocoa and substitute for the same amount of flour.

Makes about 24 cookies (about 3-4cm in diameter)

[This recipe was adapted from the Women's Weekly Creative Food Series: Picnics]

Ingredients

1 cup (200g) firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar

230g plain flour

70g cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

185g butter, soft

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or essence

80g dried cranberries

100g pecans

Preheat the oven to 180ºC

In a mixing bowl:

Cream the butter.

 

 Add the sugar

 

 

Add the eggs and cream until light and fluffy.

Add the flour.  Mix on medium speed until just combined - do not overmix.

 

 Roughly chop the pecans.

Add the pecans and cranberries to the dough. Mix until the nuts and cranberries are evenly distributed in the dough.

 

Prepare a baking tray with baking paper. If you have two trays, prepare two, otherwise cut an extra piece of baking paper the same size and lay on the counter.

There are two ways to make the cookies from here. The first is to take heaped teaspoons of cookie dough and put them onto the baking tray (leaving about 2-3cm between each mound). Although this works well, I am usually patient enough the check the size of my heaped teaspoons and end up with really irregular cookies.

This is a slightly more messy way to do things but I find I end up with more regular looking cookies.

Take half the cookie dough and place it on the counter. Roll (if possible) or, if the dough is too soft, shape the dough into a long sausage about 2cm in diameter.

Cut with a sharp knife into 1cm wide pieces.

Take each piece

Roll into a ball.

 

 And flatten between your palms. 

 Place on the prepared baking tray.

 

Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 18 minutes. The surface should start to crack a bit.

 Leave to cool for 5 minutes on the tray and then place onto on a baking rack to cool further.

If you only have one baking tray, once you have removed the cookies, run the tray until cold water until the surface is cool to touch. Transfer the second baking sheet with your second batch of cookies onto the tray and place in the oven.

And while you are waiting for the second batch to come out, you might need to try a cookie or three, just to see if they are ok.......

Once the biscuits are cold, store in an airtight container.