Yummy cookies!

I’m driving over to see my mom tomorrow, and as a treat, decided to make a small batch of cookies for her. Our family does a lot of baking at the winter holiday season—this is one of our favorite recipes.

It’s an unusual cookie in that there are no eggs, which make sit a good one for people who are sensitive or allergic to eggs. You can also eat the raw dough with no worries about salmonella!

It’s also an all-butter cookie, so no evil trans fats. Best of all, the bright flavors of orange and cranberry and the chewiness created by the coconut make it perfect for the winter.

Enjoy!

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Coconut-cranberry chews

(Originally printed in Sunset magazine, Dec. 2001; credited to Nancy Jamison of Woodside, CA.)

Ingredients:

1 ½ C. (3 cubes) butter (preferably unsalted)
2 C. sugar
1 T. freshly grated orange peel
2 tsp. vanilla
3 ¼ C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 ½ C. sweetened flaked dried coconut
1 ½ C. dried cranberries (e.g., Ocean Spray “Craisins”)

In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, blend butter, sugar, orange peel, and vanilla until smooth and slightly fluffy.

Add flour, baking powder, and salt to mixture. Beat on low speed until dough comes together into a smooth mass—about 5 minutes. Important: the dough must form a mass. If still crumbly, beat it longer until it comes together.

Stir in coconut and cranberries.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Form dough into 1-inch balls. Place on lightly buttered or cooking sprayed baking sheet. Flatten balls slightly with the bottom of a glass (they will flatten a little more as they cook).

Bake for 8-11 minutes, just until they begin to show a bit of golden color around the edges.

Cool on a wire rack.

Note: you can frost these, if desired, with a mixture of 2C. powdered sugar, a bit of fresh orange peel, and with orange juice added to create the desired texture (around 1 ½ T.); however, this isn’t necessary. I prefer them plain.

Makes 6 dozen. Store in tight containers at room temperature.