Brownie Cookies, the Best of Both Worlds

First off, a bit of business. My Oh Nuts! giveaway ended last night, and the winner, as chosen by the random number generator, was lucky number 17: Caroline of Sweet Caroline. So Caroline, email me your contact information and I'll get the gift certificate sent your way!

Speaking of nuts and dried fruit and yumminess, I have a great cookie-brownie-mutant recipe to recommend. I found the recipe for these Orange Cranberry Brownie Cookies on Baking Bites, and they had me at hello. It's basically all of my favorite ingredients smooshed into a fudgy chocolate cookie.


Dried cranberries, toasted pecans (my little recipe tweak), lots of orange zest, and big chocolate chunks commingle in the rich belly of this brownie-cookie beast. If you've had enough of holiday sugar cookies and gingerbread men (or just want another chocolate addition to the holiday gift plate) I give these cookies two chocolate-smeared thumbs up.
My one caution is that I didn't think they kept very well; after about 2 days they tasted stale. However, if your family is anything like mine around the holidays, they won't last longer than 2 days anyhow, so it's a moot point.



Orange Cranberry Brownie Cookies
from Baking Bites

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp orange zest
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup chocolate chips (pref. dark chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together melted butter and sugars. Mix in the eggs, stirring them in one at a time, then add the vanilla and orange zest.
With the mixer on low or working by hand, stir in the flour mixture, mixing until no streaks of flour remain. Stir in dried cranberries.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet (dough balls were a bit larger than 1 inch in diameter). Leave about 2 to 3-inches between cookies to allow for spread.
Bake for 9-11 minutes, until cookies are set at the edges and tops are slightly cracked looking. Cool on baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, until firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack.
Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes about 3 1/2 - 4 dozen.