anberry cookies!

2 ½ cups AP flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
4 oz (½ block) cream cheese, softened
2 tsp freshly grated orange peel
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Method:
(1) Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
(2) Cream sugar, butter, and cream cheese together until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes). Add in orange zest and vanilla. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated.
(3) Add in dried ingredients in two parts. Stir in dried cranberries.
(4) Scoop dough onto baking sheets. Bake for 11-12 minutes, until just golden around the edges. The cookies will continue to darken once removed from the oven. (These cookies dont spread much.)


I personally think too much gluten development was forced to happen with all the flour that it called for. Im thinking about decreasing the flour to just 2cups. That way i wont have to mix so much, and ill have alot more of the orange flavor. Though, i am debating adding another 2 tsp of orange zest, for a more prominent flavor.

Thoughts, opinions?

Well, my first thought is that the recipe sounds delish. Two and a half cups of flour doesn't sound like too much for the other amounts you have in your ingredient list. If you want less gluten development, after you add the dry ingredients, beat the dough as little as possible - just until the ingredients are incorporated. On the other hand, if you want a shorter cookie, reduce the amount of flour and see what happens. I've done it before with certain recipes and usually they turn out different, but very good.

Yes, I think I'd go for it. My favorite butter cookie recipe calls for about the same amount of flour and even a little more fat than yours does and it still only takes 2 cups of flour.