Autumn treats are the best because of the flavors and the fruits that make up fruit-filled cookies. Homemade cookies are divine in taste when using fresh fruit, but you need to take care of the water content.
Fresh apples and cranberries are a perfect match together. I was so excited when they finally put out the fresh cranberries at the store. The round firm cranberries chops up nicely in my Breville food processor or any processor.
So here is what you need and how to make these wonderful cookies.
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Ingredients
COOKIE DOUGH
- Butter unsalted
- Cream Cheese
- Sugar white
- Light brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Egg
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Kosher Salt
- Granny Smith apple
- Fresh cranberries
ICING
- Powdered sugar
- Butter unsalted
- Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Ground cinnamon
Making Apple and Cranberry Cookies
There is some prep work with the fruit before making these cookies, but nothing hard, just some chopping, zesting, and dicing.
Prep the Fruit
I start with the lemon since I will use it in the recipe and add some to the apple when I chop it into small pieces. The acid from the lemon will stop the apple pieces from turning brown. So zest and juice the lemon.
Next, set up your food processor.
Add the fresh cranberries and pulse the cranberries 5 or 6 times until you get fairly small pieces.
Add the chopped cranberries into a bowl and set it aside.
I cut the Granny Smith apple into eight segments. Cut out the core where the seeds are and peel the skins off. I lay the apple slice on its side to cut it in half and then cut the halves into small pieces.
I get about half the apple segments diced and take ½ teaspoon of the lemon juice, sprinkle over the cut-up apple pieces, mixing it around with my hand. Finish chopping the rest of the apple and add a little more lemon juice if needed.
I have all the fruit ready to be added to the cookie dough. If there is juice in the bottom of the bowl with the cut-up apples, take a paper towel and dab the excess lemon juice up with the towel.
Mix the Cookie Dough
Weigh or measure the sugars into a bowl and set it aside. Next, weigh or measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. I use a whisk to blend the dry ingredients.
Add the cream cheese and butter to a mixer bowl and mix for 2 minutes. You want to ensure the butter is soft enough and the two are mixed together well.
Next, add the sugars and mix on medium mixer speed for 2 to 3 minutes. You should see soft peaks and be a light brown color. Scrape down the sides before adding the next ingredient.
Add the vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest and blend. Break the egg into a small bowl to ensure no shells, and add it to the cookie dough. I mix for about a minute. It will look lumpy, but that is OK. Everything will come together after the dry ingredients are added.
On a low mixer speed, add the flour mixture and blend. Don't over-mix; it only takes a minute to incorporate the flour after all is added. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and across the bottom to make sure the flour is mixed in. I turn the mixer on for about 30 seconds to ensure all the flour is incorporated. Add the chopped cranberries and apple pieces and mix for about 30 seconds.
You can always use a spatula to spread the fruit around if you think it needs it. I scrape down the sides, cover loosely, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Bake the Apple Cranberry Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and line 2 cookie sheet pans with parchment paper. I use a medium cookie scooper and space 12 cookie mounds onto the sheet pan. Bake for 13-15 minutes.
After pulling the pan from the oven, check the bottom of one of the cookies. If it is golden brown, move the cookies to a cooling rack. If they are a little pale looking, leave the cookies on the pan for a minute or two to give them a little more time on the heated pan before moving them.
Icing for the Cookies
I love icing on certain cookies. It just seems to finish them. This icing is an easy icing to make so lets get started.
Weigh or measure the powdered sugar into a bowl and set it aside. In your mixer bowl, cream the butter until you have soft peaks. It only takes a minute or two if the butter is at room temperature. Scrape down the sides and add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and the milk.
Start the mixer on the lowest speed and gradually increase the speed until you are on a medium-high speed. Mix for 5 minutes or until the icing is smooth.
You want the icing to be stiff enough to stay on the beater and not droop. I do a taste test to see how smooth it is and not lumpy.
Finally, take a butter knife and spread the icing onto every cookie. The sweetness of the icing plays well off the tartness of the cranberries.
Enjoy!
FAQ's
Yes, I chose the Granny Smith because it is firm in texture, so it does not fall apart and is a little sour to compensate for the sweet icing. The Honeycrisp is a firm and sweeter apple that you might enjoy. The Almanac has a listing of different apples you might want to try.
For this cookie, I recommend fresh. Frozen cranberries contain more water and can change the texture of the baked cookies. They tend to become soggy in a short time.
Of course, I wanted a cinnamon-flavored icing to go with the tartness of the apples, but you can skip that part of the recipe. You may even have a favorite icing that you prefer. I say experiment, and be sure to let me know.
More Cranberry Cookies
Recipe
Fresh Apple and Cranberry Cookies
Barbara HallWould you like to save this recipe?
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Ingredients
COOKIE DOUGH
- ½ cup (113.5 g) Butter unsalted room temperature
- 3 ounces (3 ounces) Cream Cheese room temperature
- ⅔ cup (133.33 g) Sugar white
- ½ cup (110 g) Light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Vanilla extract
- 1 (1) Egg
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Lemon zest
- 2 ½ cup (312.5 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) Baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) Kosher Salt
- 1 (1) Granny Smith apple cut into small pieces
- 1 cup (100 g) Fresh cranberries
ICING
- 1 ½ cup (180 g) Powdered sugar
- ½ cup (113.5 g) Butter unsalted room temperature
- 2 Tablespoon (2 Tablespoon) Milk
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Vanilla Extract
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) Ground cinnamon
Instructions
COOKIE DOUGH
- Zest and juice the lemon and set aside. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice for the cookie dough and 1 teaspoon to sprinkle over the cut apple pieces to stop the browning. Cut the Granny Smith apple into small pieces and sprinkle some of the lemon juice over the cut pieces. Add the cranberries to a food processor and use the pulse button about 5 times or until they are in small pieces.
- Weigh or measure your sugars together and set aside. In another bowl weigh or measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, I run a whisk through to blend.
- Add the cream cheese and butter together and blend using the medium speed on your mixer for 2 minutes. Add the sugars and mix for about 2 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides. Add lemon zest and lemon juice and blend until incorporated, then add the egg and mix. Turn the mixer down, and slowly add the flour mixture. The dough will be stiff.
- Stop the mixer, add the apple and cranberry pieces, then mix for about 30 seconds to get the fruit blended throughout the batter. Cover your cookie dough bowl lightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and line 2 cookie pans with parchment paper setting them aside. Using a medium cookie scoop, space out twelve scoops onto a pan and bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 16-18 minutes. Pull them out of the oven and let them sit on the hot pan for a minute or two before moving to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely before icing them.
ICING
- I start by creaming the butter for a minute, or two, then add the milk, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract into the mixer bowl. Start on a low mixer setting and gradually increase until you reach a medium-high speed. Mix for 5 minutes. It should be stiff enough to stay on the beater without drooping and be smooth to the touch and taste. Take a butter knife and spread icing onto all the cookies.
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Notes
NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
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