Coconut Cranberry Chews...

This is one of my favorite cookies recipes. I use Craisins and the best place to get those is at Costco. The taste of cranberries and orange together are always delicious. It comes from Challenge butter recipes. Enjoy!

1½ cups (¾ lb.) Butter, at room temperature
2 C. sugar
1 Tbsp. grated orange peel
2 tsp. vanilla
1 large egg
3¼ C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1½ C dried cranberries
1½ C sweetened flaked dried coconut

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.

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.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on buttered 12" x 15" baking sheets.

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.Yield: About 6 dozen cookies.

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.