Vegan Cranberry-Orange-Nut Cookies

By mm_food4me

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. Add to that a load of healthy ingredients and you have a win-win cookie! These cookies travel well, making them a great choice for gift-giving and lunchboxes.

Ingredients

• 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 organic sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup smooth, unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup light vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
• 3 tablespoons orange juice

Details

Servings 3
Adapted from care2.com

Preparation

Step 1

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

2. 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.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. 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.

5. 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.