Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Cookies

Sometimes you just need a good cookie. Don't get me wrong, I love making healthy alternative cookies and sweets, but every once in awhile I just have to say, "yes", to a gooey, sugary, buttery cookie. These ones I have adapted from a Martha Stewart soft and chewy chocolate chip recipe. I just made it gluten-free and not a chocolate chip cookie....so basically I just used the ratios of flour to butter to baking soda. These are nice, soft, melty cookies that go great with tea, milk (any variety), or just all by themselves. Plus, they have the added flavor of cranberries which are an autumnal flavor (yay! fall baking obsession continued).


Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 F, line baking sheets with parchment paper, makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups gluten-free oat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup organic raw cane sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup crushed walnuts

Directions:
First place the butter and both sugars in the mixer. Mix on low until butter and sugar creamed together. Then add in the vanilla and eggs. Blend those into the butter sugar mixture. Next add the cocoa powder and mix on low. Then pour in the flour and baking soda. Mix on low until mostly incorporated. Shut off mixer and mix by hand until all the ingredients are completely incorporated into the batter. Lastly, add in the cranberries and walnuts. Mix so that they are evenly distributed throughout.

Spoon batter onto the parchment lined cookie sheets. Make sure to use about a regular sized table spoon to drop the little dollops of cookie dough onto the baking sheets. Even spread out each little cookie. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the sides of the cookies are firm. Let stand on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy with a nice cup or tea or a glass of almond milk (or whatever type of milk you prefer)!