Cranberry Orange Cookies

Cranberry Orange Cookies

I made my favorite cranberry orange scones a couple of weeks ago and froze some unbaked. Then I baked them up for my family who was here for Thanksgiving. I love those scones. I didn't quite get enough of them, but I didn't want to commit to a whole new batch of scones. I mean, even if I did freeze them, I know I'd eat too many. So I went googling for a cranberry orange cookie, and this is the one I decided on--probably because Land O Lakes had such great pics of them. 
I changed them a little bit, of course, by adding a teaspoon of orange extract to the batter and omitting the orange zest from the rolling sugar. I just didn't want to have to zest another orange, to tell the truth. I bought two oranges today, and the second one is for scones this Saturday for a baby shower.
This is a nice cookie, but next time I think I might omit the macadamia nuts. Or maybe I just need to make the scones. The cookies are pretty sweet, but definitely orangey and a little cranberry-y. The texture is slightly chewy in the middle, but crisp on the edges. I think they're more dense and chewy than I'd like. Maybe next time I try a cranberry orange cookie, I'll just do it with a shortbread recipe because I think I was expecting something more crisp. I'll have to try another one later today to see what I really think, but so far, these are just okay for me.

Cranberry Orange Cookies
        --Adapted from Land O Lakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup Land O Lakes Butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• zest of one orange
• 1 egg
• 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts
• sugar for rolling

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, beat 1 cup sugar, butter, orange extract, and orange zest, until light and fluffy.
Mix in flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix in cranberries and macadamia nuts.
Shape dough into 1 inch balls; roll balls in sugar. Place on prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart. Flatten to about 5/8 inch thickness with the flat bottom of a glass.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool one minute on cookie sheet and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.