Chocolate Chip, Cranberry and Orange Cookies
A Fruity Thanksgiving Cookie (or Christmas Biscuit) Recipe
Nov 12, 2009
They are called cookies in the USA, biscuits in the UK, galletas in Spain and biscotti in Italy. Whatever the name, there’s no argument that cookies are yummy. Apparently the word originally comes from the Latin ‘bis coctum’, meaning ‘twice baked’. It is believed that cookies were originally used to test the temperature of the oven when a small drop of cake batter was placed in the oven. The test is still relevant today, as cookies need to be watched closely. Leave them in the oven even for just a few minutes too long and a dozen tasty treats quickly transform into charcoaled discs.
Thanksgiving Cranberries
This recipe is ideal for the winter months as it uses cranberries, which have long been associated with the American Thanksgiving holiday. Cranberries are native to North America and it was the Native Americans who are believed to have introduced the fruit to English settlers who incorporated the fruit into their Thanksgiving feasts. The berries were first shipped to Europe in the 1820s and while they are not as commonly used in cooking as they are in the USA, they are now readily available in the UK too.
How The Twice Baked Biscuit Came to the West
Cookies are thought to have originated in seventh century Persia, which was one of the first countries to use sugar in food preparation. With the Muslim invasion of Spain, the cooking techniques and ingredients of the Middle East spread into Northern Europe and eventually to North America. That they are appreciated the world over is testament to how enduring recipes are most often the simplest.
There are many variations of the cookie but this chocolate chip cookie recipe marries the eminent cranberry with a twist of orange.
Choc Chip, Cranberry and Orange Cookie Ingredients and Recipe
- 225g (8oz) softened butter
- 40g (1.5oz) white sugar
- 150g (5oz) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 295g (10.5oz) plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 150g (5oz) milk or dark chocolate chips
- 70g (2.5oz) cranberries, chopped
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated orange peel
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 190°c (375°f) with racks in center of oven.
- Line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper.
- Cream the butter. Add the white and brown sugar and beat well until fluffy.
- Add the beaten eggs gradually and mix in well.
- Add the vanilla extract.
- Gradually mix in the flour, baking soda and salt.
- Once all the flour is incorporated, add the orange peel, cranberries and chocolate chips. Make sure the cranberries are chopped so they are the same size or smaller than the chocolate chips and make sure the fruit and chips are well distributed within the dough.
- Drop one teaspoon of cookie dough onto the baking sheets, making sure there is room in between each piece for the dough to spread.
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.
Makes about 40 cookies.
Other cookie recipes:
Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies
Most Popular Christmas Cookies & Recipes
 |
 |
 |
