CRANBERRY ORANGE NUT COOKIES

By BobD

Ingredients

• Crisp, moist and chewy, this cookie created by Georgene Egri of Walnut Creek, California, has the essential ingredients for the holidays: citrus, nuts and cranberries. These cookies travel well for gift-giving and lunchboxes.
• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the dough through Step 2, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days
• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon   baking powder
• 1 teaspoon   baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon   salt
• 1 cup  chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup   chopped dried cranberries
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons   sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup  smooth, unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup  canola oil
• 1 tablespoon   freshly grated orange zest
• 3 tablespoons   orange juice

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from cooking.com

Preparation

Step 1

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in walnuts and dried cranberries.


Whisk 1 cup sugar, applesauce, oil, orange zest and juice in a medium bowl until smooth. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.


Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.


Put the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar into a small flat-bottomed dish or pan. Roll the dough with floured hands (it will be very moist) into 1 1/2-inch balls, then roll in sugar to coat. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.


Bake the cookies until barely golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on the pan for 1 minute; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.