Coconut-Cranberry Chews

By cecelia26_

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Challenge Butter, at room temperature (3/4 lb.)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 Tablespoon grated orange peel
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked dried coconut

Preparation

Step 1

Step 1 In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 1½ cups butter, sugar, orange peel, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in egg, until well blended.
Step 2 In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture, stir to mix, then beat on low speed until dough comes together, about 5 minutes (see notes). Mix in cranberries and coconut. Note: The mixture may look dry until it comes together as a dough. If its too crumbly to form into balls, the dough need to be mixed longer; it should be a smooth homogeneous mass.
Step 3 Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on buttered 12" x 15" baking sheets.
Step 4 Bake in a 350°F regular or convection oven until cookie edges just begin to brown, 11 to 15 minutes (shorter baking time will yield a chewier cookie; longer baking time will yield a crispier cookie). If baking two sheets at once in one oven, switch their positions halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.