Cranberry, Ginger and Mixed Herb Cookies

If there is anything called death by cookies- then I bet you have just hit that spot!

Cranberries – those berries which are as famous as their counterparts and are not as widely eaten as the other berries because of their extremely sour taste. But, mind you cranberries are a hit when it comes to whipping up some lip-smacking desserts. The trick is to balance the scales of flavors when combined with other ingredients in a particular dish. It is difficult to source fresh cranberries if you need them but dried cranberries can be found in the stores all around the year. And they are a great addition to cookies, pies, puddings, etc. when they just pop up in the mouth within a bite giving that mild sour yet pungent taste to the recipe.

It was a really snoozy Saturday and I was in great need of some movement in the kitchen. I had an almost somnolent Friday as well and I was in no mood to let the weekend go waste. Besides, of course, being in the kitchen makes me the happiest. Since I had a whole lot of cranberries lying down from a  shoot I did for Kellogg’s, it would have been really bad on my part to ignore those gorgeous looking maroon-colored berries and not dishing out a pleasing recipe out of them.

I am also really biased towards the use of herbs, they help in giving such perspicuous taste to any recipe and are a good way of equalizing the flavors. They go well with citrus fruits and almost all kinds of nuts as well. And when combined with ginger, it is a fabulous mix you get that can never go wrong. Ginger is spicy, herbs are soothing (though powerful in the taste, of course, but I feel they are calm in nature) and cranberries help in binding both of these adding a tinge of sourness of their own, thereby helping to create a recipe that is perfect for times when you are in a somber mood. The nuts help to bring that extra crunchy feeling bite after bite which is so irresistible. And so I gathered my four major ingredients in the kitchen and was ready to dish out this handsome looking cookie equally powerful in taste as well.

When it comes to ginger, use only fresh finger in this recipe. I always prefer fresh ginger as compared to ginger powder as I find a huge difference in the flavors of the two. Also, nothing works like fresh, juicy bits of ginger in any given recipe, right? Where the herbs are concerned, use only dried herbs here, you need to hold and control the natural moisture that has already been passed on by the ginger and also I personally feel dried herbs work best in cookies. Leave the fresh ones to puddings, ice creams and that particular lot!

Be sure, that this recipe is only good when you use dried cranberries. Fresh cranberries are a big no-no here as they will add moisture which is not going to help add that crunchiness of the perfect cookie. Well, a little off the hook, but not unimportant though, let me tell you cranberries help our body heal in a number of ways and work like a magic wand.

Listen to this:

  • You will delay anti-aging process a great deal by consuming a handful of fresh cranberries every single day.
  • keep worries about having cancer at bay …that dose of cranberries will keep your body cells in check at all times.
  • Your immunity is going to multiply manifold if you add cranberries in your diet every day.
  • Want to keep the liver in check? well, just keep eating those cranberries like a few pieces of biscuits every day.

Ok now, back to the recipe….you really don’t need any market bought cookies when these adorn your plates at home…they are extremely nectarous and fit for a king! Feel free to bake them this weekend and give me a ping on how they turn out… I am sure these will remain a personal favorite just like how they remain mine…

 

RECIPE:

A touch of spice, sourness, and crunchiness of nuts comes together to make a fascinating cookie which is sure to hit you up in the head within the first bite. Lift your soul up as it lifts your taste buds. Enjoy these cookies with your tea or coffee, it just goes well with any of them.

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 tbsp almonds

1/4th cup dried cranberries

8.5 gms chilled salted butter (If using unsalted butter, please remember to add 1/4 tsp salt to the recipe)

1/4th cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs

Few drops of Almond extract

1/2 tsp chopped ginger

 

Method:

  • Chop the almonds and the cranberries.
  • Sieve the flour in a bowl.
  • Now add the butter, chopped almond, sugar, cranberries, dried herbs. almond extract and chopped ginger.

  • Knead the dough well. All the ingredients should be able to come together and bind well without falling apart in your palm.
  • When the dough comes together, form small balls out of it in your palm and keep them aside.
  • Flatten each ball with the help of your palm or the back of a bowl.
  • Preheat the oven on 170 C for 5 minutes. Bake the cookies at 170 C for 15-16 minutes till they are golden brown.
  • Cool them off on a wire rack and enjoy!!