Citrus-Drizzled Cranberry Cookies

As I mentioned in my previous post, I went to a cookie exchange. It was fun! However, the downside of it is that… The cookies I brought home are almost gone? Impossible!!! I have no self-control. I have to work it off as soon as I can.

What’s Cookie Exchange?

Click here (scroll down once you get there) to learn about Cookie Swap on Martha Stewart.

Since my daughters wanted to go, but I was too busy to make the required number of cookies, which was 6 dozen (baking is not my strength), I purchased some beautiful icing cookies from TH Bakes. You can see the Christmas tree and pink and blue snow flake icing cookies made by TH Bakes here.

I didn’t want to be the only one who did not bake, so I did manage to bake some. Citrus-Drizzled Cranberry Cookies is one of my favorite cookie recipes for the holiday season. I find the color of dried cranberries quite festive. Cranberries and white chocolate which I decided to add are very expensive in Mumbai, so these cookies ended up being pricier than I wished. I also altered the ingredients a bit to meet the ingredients available at home (this is typical of me). I will list both the my version as well as the original version from my recipes.

Citrus-Drizzled Cranberry Cookies
My Version

Ingredients
Cookies:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
Chopped white chocolate (optional)
Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare cookies, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and ground nutmeg in a bowl. Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter in a large bowl; beat well blended. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, cranberries and white chocolate (optional); beat well until combined. Shape dough into 55 (1-inch) balls. Place the balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until almost firm. Remove cookies from baking sheets; cool completely on a wire rack. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar and orange juice in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Spoon mixture into a small zip-top plastic bag. Snip a small hole in 1 corner of bag; drizzle glaze over cooled cookies.

Original Recipe
via
my recipes
Citrus-Drizzled Cranberry-Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients
Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
Cooking spray
Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated orange rind

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare cookies, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, quick-cooking oats, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and ground nutmeg in a bowl. Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture and cranberries; beat at low speed until combined. Shape dough into 55 (1-inch) balls. Place the balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until almost firm. Let stand on the baking sheets 2 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets; cool completely on a wire rack.
To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar and remaining ingredients in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Spoon mixture into a small zip-top plastic bag. Snip a small hole in 1 corner of bag; drizzle glaze over cooled cookies.

Cookie Exchange Cookies