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Gingerbread Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Gingerbread Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft, chewy gingerbread cookies filled with tart dried cranberries and semisweet chocolate chips. A short chill keeps the dough easy to portion and helps the cookies bake with nicely defined edges.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 24 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cookie Dough
  • 3/4 cup (170 g) Unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) Packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (160-170 g) Unsulphured molasses
  • 1 egg Large egg
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups (315 g) All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Fine salt
  • 2 teaspoons Ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg, optional
Add-Ins
  • 1 cup (170 g) Semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup (90 g) Dried cranberries
Optional Finishes
  • 1-2 tablespoons Coarse sugar
  • 1/2 cup Chopped toasted pecans or walnuts

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and optional nutmeg together in a medium bowl.
  2. In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar for about 2 minutes, until light and creamy.
  3. Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla until evenly combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled, which is normal.
  4. Add the dry ingredients in two or three additions, mixing only until no dry streaks remain.
  5. Fold in the chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Chop the cranberries first if they are especially large or leathery.
  6. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30–60 minutes. Chilling makes the dough easier to portion and helps reduce spreading.
  7. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop roughly 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, spacing portions about 2 inches apart.
  8. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired and bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set while the centers still look slightly soft. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a rack.

Notes

Do not overbake; the cookies firm as they cool and can become dry or hard if left in the oven too long. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container. Semisweet or bittersweet chocolate balances the molasses and cranberries especially well.