Chewy, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, filled with tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate, perfect for the holidays, sharing with friends and giving as gifts! I shared these cookies with some friends recently and the feedback was more than positive, with the whole batch being effortlessly polished off. There's nothing better than a chewy cookie, with slightly crisp golden edges and there's actually a bit of science to achieving perfectly textured cookies, that believe it or not, I learnt during my nutrition degree!
During my time at uni I learnt a lot about the role different ingredients have in baking and cookies are no exception. Chewy cookies must have more sugar than fat, it's a fact, so maybe these aren't everyday foods, most sweet things aren't. But they are holiday party and gift worthy cookies, that are delicate, chewy and a little crisp and golden round the edge. With tart dried cranberries and chunks of vegan white chocolate, brought together by the warmth of a pinch of cinnamon. I also used aquafaba (chickpea water) to replace the need for eggs in this recipe.
These are the cookies that you're going to bake (and share) and not worry about the nutritional content because they taste amazing, oh and did I mention that it's also Christmas?! This might also be a good time to highlight that whether a recipe has white sugar, brown sugar, molasses, maple or any other kind of syrup; this still counts as 'added' or 'refined' sugar. So, try not to get too caught up with the no added sugar label on sweet treats that are still loaded with sugar, unless they solely contain sweeteners, they're all going to have the same effect on your blood sugar levels. The important thing is that these type of treats are eaten in moderation and of course, thoroughly enjoyed when they are eaten!
Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies | Yield: 24 Cookies | Time: 30 mins
You'll need
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Electric beater/ rotary hand whisk
- Metal spoon
- Large baking tray x2
- Greaseproof paper
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup demerara sugar
- 3 tbsp aquafaba (chickpea water)
- 1.5 cups plain flour
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries
- 100g vegan white chocolate, chopped into chunks
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C and line two baking trays with grease-proof paper.
- Beat together the butter and sugar, using either an electric whisk or an old fashioned rotary hand whisk. Add the aquafaba and mix together, then add the flour, cinnamon and bicarb and whisk until combined and a dough is formed. Then fold in the cranberries and chocolate so they're distributed evenly. The dough will be quite sticky, this is normal.
- Using a tablespoon measure and a metal spoon, scoop tbsp sized amounts and transfer the round scoop of dough onto the baking tray. Repeat for the rest of the dough, ensuring the dough balls have adequate room to spread out whilst baking. Do not flatten the dough, this will happen whilst baking.
- Place in the oven for 10 minutes and allow to cool and firm up slightly before attempting to remove from the baking tray. Once cooled fully, serve up and enjoy!
Cassidy xx
