For the last few years, there’s been a new cookie to hit the holiday cookie scene. It’s cool because you can find them at most grocery stores. There are so many variations of the basic Soft Salted Caramel Cookie, it’s also kind of hilarious. But as with all new trends in food, I like to put my own spin on them.

Think about it – everything is going cookie-pizza-pie and you know I’m right there with you. So why not salted cranberry cookies?

This cookie is so delicious, it’s kind of insane. It’s got a rich buttery flavor and chewy texture from the caramel, but then you’ve got the tart, salty tang from the dried cranberries. Kind of like a soft oatmeal cookie packed with of homemade salted caramel sauce and dried fruit.

I’ve had a lot of fun with this cookie. I’ve made them with a cherry and brown sugar filling, and a raspberry jam filling, and a caramel filling. And they’re all good. So feel free to use your favorite jam or fruit and nut butter. The filling just helps lend some extra texture to the cookie. And if you’re not into the cranberries, you could use raisins, or even nuts.

The base of this cookie is a sugar cookie dough, but it has a lot more butter than a traditional sugar cookie. I know, that sounds crazy. But it really does make these cookies so much more tender.

To make the cookie even more tender (I know, there’s a lot going on here), I add a little bit of instant vanilla pudding mix. Not enough that you’ll taste it, but it helps to keep the cookies soft.

This cookie is definitely a favorite and one to keep in mind for all of your cookie baking!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 cup dried cranberries

• 1/2 cup coarse sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
3. Add the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Mix until the dough is well combined. It will be thick and shouldn’t be sticky. Do not over mix. Once it’s well combined, use a rubber spatula to help it come together to form a more cohesive ball.
4. Add the cranberries and sea salt and mix until well combined.
5. Create 1 1/2 tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough. Gently roll into a ball, then roll each ball in the additional sea salt to coat. Set the balls on the baking sheet.
6. Bake cookies for 7-8 minutes. The cookies will spread and the centers will look soft, but should look done. Remove just before the edges begin to turn golden. Don’t over bake. The cookies will be a little puffy when you take them out of the oven but will fall a bit as they cool.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on baking sheets for 4-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.