Cranberry Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been in quite the cookie baking mood lately! This weekend I was experimenting with a few different varieties and fell in love with this combination. Tart cranberries and dark chocolate? Yes please! Such an easy variation on classic chocolate chip. I learned everything I know about making great chocolate chip cookies from America's Test Kitchen. I used their techniques in this recipe and the cookies come out great. I find the technique of browning the butter and letting it dissolve the sugars makes a tremendous difference. If you haven't tried this you must. Brought these to work and they were a huge hit!

Recipe after the jump

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup unbleached flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
14 tbsp (1 3/4 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg + 1 yolk
1 cup dark chocolate chips
2/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped


Step by Step Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Line two cookie sheets with parchment or aluminum foil
3. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt
4. Melt 10 tbsp butter on medium heat in a frying pan, allow to brown, scraping frequently for 5-6 min
5. In a glass bowl, combine melted butter with additional 4 tbsp, allow to melt, stirring frequently
6. Add sugars, egg, egg yolk and vanilla, whisk together vigorously
7. Wait 3-4 minutes for sugars to dissolve (I find this a good time to wash that butter melting pan!)
8. Whisk the sugar/butter mixture one more time
9. Fold dry ingredients into wet using a rubber spatula, mix until combined
10. Fold in chocolate chunks and cranberries
11. OPTIONAL: Freeze dough in bowl for 15-20 minutes
12. Using a tablespoon, scoop balls of dough onto cookie sheet - each ball should be approx 1.5 tbsp of dough, basically a heaping tablespoon. Keep cookies at least 2" apart on cookie sheet.
13. Fill cookie sheet and bake on a center rack for EXACTLY 12 minutes
14. Halfway through the baking time, rotate the cookie sheets
15. They should seem slightly uncooked and liquidy when you remove
16. Cool on a wire rack