Fresh Cranberry Almond Soft Batch Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried in baking? ›

You'll probably want to use about 1 cup of fresh cranberries for every 1/2 cup of dried cranberries called for in the recipe. You can also look for recipes calling for fresh blueberries and use cranberries instead. Since they're similar in size, fresh blueberries and cranberries can be substituted one-for-one.

Do you need to cook fresh cranberries before baking? While cranberries should not be eaten as is (they are unpleasantly tart), they do not need to be cooked before they are used in baked goods.

Yes! Fresh cranberries freeze for up to a year and can often be substituted in recipes that call for fresh cranberries. When cooking with frozen cranberries, do not thaw before using.

What If I Don't Use Cream of Tartar? Cream of tartar prevents the sugar from crystalizing in the cookie dough while it bakes, for a soft, chewy cookie. Technically speaking, you can make this almond cookie recipe without cream of tartar. It will still taste delicious, but the texture just won't be as soft and tender.

Cranberries that were recently purchased and never frozen that appear soft are past the ripened stage, and these berries should be sorted and not eaten.

Truly fresh cranberries are quite firm to the touch and will bounce if you drop them. (Cranberry harvesters will actually bounce the berries against boards to sort the high quality from the low quality.) Shriveled berries or those with brown spots should be avoided.

Anything from a drizzle of honey to agave, maple syrup, or molasses will also fare well. After a few minutes of maceration, the sour fruit juices will mix with the sugar and alleviate some of the cranberries' natural tartness.

Yes, raw cranberries are safe to consume raw, but you probably don't want to eat them that way. "Cranberries are safe to eat raw. However, usually they are cooked and have sugar added because of the bitter and sharp taste they have when raw," says Kelly West Keyser, a registered dietitian in Alabama.

Yes, Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries work well in baked goods; however, there is a 1/4 cup (60 mL) difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh cranberries you should use 3/4 cup (175 mL) of Craisins®. Craisins® should not be used in cooked sauces.

No Need to Thaw Your Cranberries: You don't need to thaw frozen berries before using in a recipe—just give them a quick water bath.

What kind of cranberries do you use for baking? ›

Choose. Although cranberries are almost always prepackaged, look for firm, plump berries with a deep red color. Avoid shriveled or soft berries.

Melting the butter you're using can make the cookie softer. Brown sugar comes out of the package very moist: its chemical makeup causes it to draw in water under the right circ*mstances: a fast bake at a high oven temperature. Slightly underbaking cookies with brown sugar in them makes them softer as well.

Butter contributes milk solids and water to a cookie, both of which soften it. Brown sugar contributes molasses – again, a softener. Using lower-moisture sugar (granulated) and fat (vegetable shortening), plus a longer, slower bake than normal, produces light, crunchy cookies.

The easiest way to soften cookies with bread is to place the cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread and leave them for a few hours. The bread will release moisture and help to rehydrate the cookies, making them soft and chewy once again.

What can you substitute for dried cranberries in cookies? Raisins are a common swap depending on what ingredients you have on hand, but we think dried apricots would be dreamy with this recipe.

Dried cherries and raisins are the most common substitutes for dried cranberries. They offer a similar chewy texture, making them suitable for baked goods and salads where a bit of chewiness is desirable. Raisins typically have higher moisture content, which could lead to a softer consistency in recipes.

Rehydrate the fruits: Dried fruits can be quite hard and dry, so it's often a good idea to rehydrate them before adding them to your baked goods. To do this, simply soak the dried fruits in warm water or fruit juice for 15-20 minutes until they are plump and tender.