Chocolate Cranberry Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies
When I make chocolate chip cookies, I always add dried cranberries. I think the tart and sweet combo really sets off the chocolate. So this morning, I happily made a batch of cookies to use for chocolate cranberry ice cream sandwich cookies at our BBQ tomorrow.
These little guys are a perfect way to cool down this weekend. Two cookies and a satisfying scoop of ice cream … can summer get any better?
Cookie, meet Cream. Wonderful.
◊ Chocolate Cranberry Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies ◊
Yields about 3 dozen 2½”-3” cookies.
Ingredients:
1 cup shortening (I like the sticks, they come in 1 cup portions and cut down on kitchen messes)
3/4 cup white, granulated sugar (I was out of white sugar, so I substituted turbinado sugar, but I usually use white sugar)
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla (I always put in a little extra)
½ teaspoon water
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks
½ cup dried cranberries
baking spray to grease the cookie sheets
Side-note: I sometimes add nuts to this recipe, if I’m in a nutty mood. You can add toasted almonds, or some pecan pieces and just cut back on the chocolate and cranberries a bit.
Tools:
Mixer
Cookie Sheets
Cookie Scoop (the size is up to you)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease some cookie sheets with spray and set aside.
Cream the shortening, brown and white sugar, vanilla, and water in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer.
This is the beginning of the cookies: a thick, dark start to the batter. It was especially dark this time since I had dark brown sugar and turbinado sugar in the pantry.
Next, add the eggs one at a time.
And the batter morphs into smooth wonderfulness.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: salt, baking soda, and flour.
All the dry stuff together.
Gently add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, incorporating it in batches, while continuing to blend the ingredients together.
Almost there ... be sure to have a spatula close at hand to scrape the sides of the bowl!
A batter will form.
The finished basic batter.
Then, remove the bowl from your mixer and add in the oats, chocolate chips, and dried cranberries.
Yum, now things are getting GOOD.
Use a little elbow grease to combine these ingredients with the batter. Mix well – those oats can be stubborn!
Now, where's my cookie scoop?
Drop the cookies onto lightly greased cookie sheets using a cookie scoop – the goal in making ice cream sandwiches is uniformity.
This is the scoop I used. I filled it twice to make each cookie, and then pressed the cookies flat with the bottom of a glass. Or you can just use your fingers!
All ready to bake.
Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes. I like my cookies soft and chewy so I bake them just until firm in the center, about 10 minutes. If you prefer a crispier cookie, bake the cookies for a little longer. Watch carefully so that the cookies do not burn!
Allow the cookies to cool on wire racks.
When it’s time to assemble the ice cream sandwiches, take two cookies and a small scoop of the ice cream of your choice and sandwich together.
Yummy!
