Cranberry-White Chocolate-Pecan Cookies
This year has been a year of challenging my distaste for certain things, most notably tomatoes. White chocolate, that abomination that is devoid of all the pleasure of actual chocolate, is on my list of dislikes and always has been. This is a decent problem to have, as it’s just not that common for vegans and easy to avoid. Have you ever had a bag of fresh cranberries speak to you, though? I was staring at one of our bought-in-an-impulse-before-Thanksgiving bags of cranberries and, damn, if it didn’t whisper to me, ever so subtly, “white chocolate.” I’m not sure why but ever since, I’ve been thinking about them together. This recipe was borne of that curiosity and I am so glad I tried them out.
These cookies are full of warming spices and flavors: Orange and cranberries, pecans, regular chocolate chips and all that good stuff. Yes, white chocolate, too. To me, they taste like a happy winter kitchen in the best possible way. Crunchy on the outside, tender inside, there is a delicious little flavor note to keep you interested in every bite.
Quick notes: I used the Pascha brand of white chocolate chips (palm oil-free!), which are currently sold at Martie but will not be there forever and this link gets you $5.00 off your first order. You can also just use double the chocolate chips or double the white chocolate, if you’re wild like that.
You don’t have to use gluten-free flour! I do so the recipes I test with flour only use that. (I linked in the recipe to my favorite baking blend.) If you use regular all-purpose flour, understand that you may have to adapt a little because they are different ingredients. Gluten-free sweets also like to bake at a lower temperature for a longer time.
Makes approximately 21 cookies.
2 cups all-purpose, gluten-free baking flour (like Bob’s Red Mill)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon allspice
⅔ cup vegan butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Zest from one orange zest¼ cup fresh cranberries, roughly chopped
⅓ cup vegan white chocolate chips (I used the Pascha brand)
¼ cup slavery-free, vegan chocolate chips
¼ cup pecans, chopped
¼ - ⅓ unsweetened vegan milk
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt and allspice.
In a large bowl, mash together the softened butter, sugars and vanilla vigorously until combined. (You can also use a stand or hand-held mixer, mixing until fluffy and combined. Add flour mixture, orange juice, orange zest cranberries, two varieties of chocolate chips and pecans to the butter mixture. It will be crumbly. Add milk, stirring until a dough you can press together between your fingers forms.
Refrigerate the dough in a covered container for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place parchment on two baking sheets (or use the same one twice), stir the dough and then form into balls the size of golfballs. Lightly press.
Bake for 17 - 20 minutes, and then cool on baking racks. You will likely have to do this in two batches. Allow to cool completely before serving.
This year has been a year of challenging my distaste for certain things, most notably tomatoes. White chocolate, that abomination that is devoid of all the pleasure of actual chocolate, is on my list of dislikes and always has been. This is a decent problem to have, as it’s just not that common for vegans and easy to avoid. Have you ever had a bag of fresh cranberries speak to you, though? I was staring at one of our bought-in-an-impulse-before-Thanksgiving bags of cranberries and, damn, if it didn’t whisper to me, ever so subtly, “white chocolate.” I’m not sure why but ever since, I’ve been thinking about them together. This recipe was borne of that curiosity and I am so glad I tried them out.
These cookies are full of warming spices and flavors: Orange and cranberries, pecans, regular chocolate chips and all that good stuff. Yes, white chocolate, too. To me, they taste like a happy winter kitchen in the best possible way. Crunchy on the outside, tender inside, there is a delicious little flavor note to keep you interested in every bite.
Quick notes: I used the Pascha brand of white chocolate chips (palm oil-free!), which are currently sold at Martie but will not be there forever and this link gets you $5.00 off your first order. You can also just use double the chocolate chips or double the white chocolate, if you’re wild like that.
You don’t have to use gluten-free flour! I do so the recipes I test with flour only use that. (I linked in the recipe to my favorite baking blend.) If you use regular all-purpose flour, understand that you may have to adapt a little because they are different ingredients. Gluten-free sweets also like to bake at a lower temperature for a longer time.
Makes approximately 21 cookies.
2 cups all-purpose, gluten-free baking flour (like Bob’s Red Mill)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon allspice
⅔ cup vegan butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Zest from one orange zest¼ cup fresh cranberries, roughly chopped
⅓ cup vegan white chocolate chips (I used the Pascha brand)
¼ cup slavery-free, vegan chocolate chips
¼ cup pecans, chopped
¼ - ⅓ unsweetened vegan milk
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt and allspice.
In a large bowl, mash together the softened butter, sugars and vanilla vigorously until combined. (You can also use a stand or hand-held mixer, mixing until fluffy and combined. Add flour mixture, orange juice, orange zest cranberries, two varieties of chocolate chips and pecans to the butter mixture. It will be crumbly. Add milk, stirring until a dough you can press together between your fingers forms.
Refrigerate the dough in a covered container for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place parchment on two baking sheets (or use the same one twice), stir the dough and then form into balls the size of golfballs. Lightly press.
Bake for 17 - 20 minutes, and then cool on baking racks. You will likely have to do this in two batches. Allow to cool completely before serving.
Vegan, Recipe, Cookies, Cranberry, Dessert, Pecan, White Chocolate, Sweet, Tart