Thick and chewy cranberry-pistachio cookies

Few days ago , I made one of the Christmas-themed cookies that I've seen online . I told myself how hard can it be to decorate the top of the cookies ?! I really suck at decorating and the ones that I made turned out to be a disaster , more scary than merry ugh ! I stared hard at the result and just sigh , so I scraped off the toppings and ate some of the cookies . Hey , the chocolate-peanut butter combination tastes really good ! Maybe I'll try again next week or better yet , next year .....

Or maybe I'll consider posting it and just change the name to " A nightmare before  Christmas cookies " lol   

So I baked another recipe , this time from America's Test Kitchen book , using the chocolate chip cookie recipe but omitted the chips and used some dried fruits and nuts instead . The color of the cranberries and pistachios make these cookies look festive . I like most of the recipe that I tried from that book though some didn't turn out as I expected it to be . Case in point , these cookies , it doesn't have a cracked top as the ones in the book , either because I over mixed the dough , which I usually do almost all the time or I just missed something else huh ?! That small anomaly heh ! aside , these cookies tastes great ! Thick and chewy ( melted butter in the dough helps make the cookies chewy ) with wonderful flavor and crispy texture - what more could you ask for ?!

Recipe adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book , page 153 . My notes in blue

Makes 24 ( 2 tablespoons of dough each ) 

 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons / 10 2/3 oz / 300 grams all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt 

12 tablespoons / 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter , melted and cooled

1 cup packed / 7 oz light brown sugar

1/2 cup / 3 1/2 oz / 65 grams granulated sugar

1 large egg 

1 large egg yolk 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups / 9 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips 100 grams dried cranberries , 100 grams lightly salted pistachios , 55 grams dried tart cherries , divided

* Preheat oven to 325°F / 160°C . Line baking sheets with parchment paper . 

* Whisk the flour , baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl . 

* In a large bowl , beat the melted butter and sugars together with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth , 1 to 2 minutes . Beat in the egg , egg yolk and vanilla until combined , about 30 seconds , scraping the sides of the bowl as needed . 

* Reduce the mixer to low and slowly add the flour mixture until combined  . Mix in about three-fourths of dried fruits and pistachios until incorporated . 

* Working 2 tablespoons at a time or depending on the size you prefer , roll dough into balls and lay them on the prepared baking sheets , spaced about 2 inches apart . Sprinkle top with some remaining dried fruits and pistachios . 

* Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are set and the centers are still soft and puffy . Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes , you can serve them warm or transfer to the wire rack to cool completely before storing in an airtight container . 

This post is linked to Cook and Celebrate : Christmas 2014 organized by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids , Yen of Eat Your Heart Out  and Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe   

Also at Cook your Books organized by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours