Cranberry cookies recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist cookies? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

You'll probably want to use about 1 cup of fresh cranberries for every 1/2 cup of dried cranberries called for in the recipe. You can also look for recipes calling for fresh blueberries and use cranberries instead. Since they're similar in size, fresh blueberries and cranberries can be substituted one-for-one.

Yes! Fresh cranberries freeze for up to a year and can often be substituted in recipes that call for fresh cranberries. When cooking with frozen cranberries, do not thaw before using.

Yes, Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries work well in baked goods; however, there is a 1/4 cup (60 mL) difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh cranberries you should use 3/4 cup (175 mL) of Craisins®.

Brown Sugar

Adding moisture to your cookie dough can help make it softer and chewier, and stay soft for longer. That's why I use much more brown sugar than granulated sugar in this recipe.

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

Baking with Cranberries: Cut cranberries in half before adding them to baked goods to prevent them from swelling and popping.

Do you need to cook fresh cranberries before baking? While cranberries should not be eaten as is (they are unpleasantly tart), they do not need to be cooked before they are used in baked goods.

To prepare cranberries for cooking, sort the berries to remove any soft berries and stems. Rinse in cold water and drain well. It is not necessary to thaw frozen berries before use.

Should dried cranberries be soaked before baking? ›

Rehydrate the fruits: Dried fruits can be quite hard and dry, so it's often a good idea to rehydrate them before adding them to your baked goods. To do this, simply soak the dried fruits in warm water or fruit juice for 15-20 minutes until they are plump and tender.

Choose. Although cranberries are almost always prepackaged, look for firm, plump berries with a deep red color. Avoid shriveled or soft berries.

Red Currants

Red currants are the closest substitute for cranberries if you can't find cranberries in any form. They have a similar tart flavor and work well as a 1:1 substitute in most recipes.

There's not a direct substitute for fresh cranberries, but you could make a relish or chutney using a combination of fresh cherries and pomegranates, as well as a small amount of dried cranberries or dried figs. The flavor will be more sweet than tart, but it serves the same purpose.

That's because, says Kriebel, Craisins are actually dried cranberries with sugar added to make them sweet. Raisins are just dried grapes, with no added sweeteners. Craisins are a dried cranberry brand created by Ocean Spray, known for growing cranberries.

Bread releases moisture into the air, while sugar (present in large quantities in cookies), absorbs moisture out of the air. Don't have any white bread? Use a slice of apple instead. Just slip a wedge in with your cookies, cover, and let sit overnight.

To avoid this, try using as little flour as possible while preparing to roll your dough. Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Include an extra egg yolk.

If you like a chewier texture in your cookies, toss in an extra egg yolk to your mix. Adding extra egg yolks works wonders to enhance the moisture content in a cookie, making it super soft and gooey. As a family that loves a soft cookie, this is one of our favorite hacks!

Another way to soften cookies is by placing the cookies in an airtight container with a damp paper towel. The paper towel will release moisture and help to soften the cookies without making them too soft or mushy. Another way is to place the cookies in a plastic bag with a slice of apple or a damp tea towel.