Cranberry Bark Cookies

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I like to keep things light and fluffy around here, but I’m not feeling especially so this week. BUT, instead of waxing on about everything you’ve already heard or read, I’ll refrain and just say, let’s spread a little love. A little peace. A little laughter. These cranberry bark cookies will put a smile on anyone’s face. Pour yourself some tea. This week, we need tea. It’s soothing. Feel free to doctor it up a bit with whatever you doctor up tea with…I’ve heard of people putting booze in their tea…but what kind? Bourbon? Rum? This is important for all of us, please note in the comments below.

And after you’ve made these cranberry bark cookies, and doctored your tea, scroll down to the On My Mind section and watch the videos I’ve included…for a quick laugh.

Before We Get Started:

  • Chocolate. You can use chocolate chips in a pinch…but if you’re running to the store, try to pick up chocolate discs/wafers…they usually have fewer ingredients and melt beautifully. I’m not going to have you temper your chocolate or anything like that…I don’t care if it dulls a bit and I don’t want it stable…I want it to get melty in the cookie and not stay firm. I used the Williams-Sonoma + Guittard Chocolate Discs (semi-sweet, 55% cacao) and they were dreamy.
  • Nuts. Don’t like ’em, don’t use ’em. End of story. Want pecans? Or walnuts? Go for it. Make this YOUR cookie.
  • Cranberries. Make sure your fresh cranberries are at room temperature before you add them to the melted chocolate or weird things will happen. Trust me. A bread knife (or other serrated knife) works well for cutting both cranberries and the pistachios. Lastly, take care not to over-chop your cranberries. You want to see some large, vibrant chunks throughout.
  • Butter Tip. Cookies are usually a sudden and unstoppable craving and as such,  softened butter isn’t always at the ready. If your butter is cold, cut it into small chunks and set it in the mixer bowl to warm up a bit while you put together the bark.
  • Buttermilk. Can easily be replaced with milk if you can’t be bothered!

Let’s get our bake on people!!

Cranberry Bark Peace Cookies | Recipe via DisplacedHousewife | Brown butter, spices, pistachios + cranberries

Cranberry Bark Peace Cookies | Recipe via DisplacedHousewife | Brown butter, spices, pistachios + cranberries

Cranberry Bark Peace Cookies | Recipe via DisplacedHousewife | Brown butter, spices, pistachios + cranberries

Cranberry Bark Cookies

Makes About 2 1/2 Dozen Cranberry Bark Cookies

INGREDIENTS

For the Cranberry Bark

  • 10 ounces good quality semi-sweet or dark chocolate
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cranberries, room temperature
  • ¼ cup shelled pistachios, chopped
  • 3/4 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves

For the Cookie

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/3 cup sunflower seed oil, or other neutral oil
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon real vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • Cranberry Bark from above, chopped (about 2-2 1/2 cups)
  • Sea salt flakes for dusting on top, optional 

INSTRUCTIONS

For The Cranberry Bark

  1. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure you have your cranberries and pistachios chopped and ready before you melt your chocolate.
  2. Place your chocolate in a medium, microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute (this works well in my microwave, if your microwave runs hot, start with 30 seconds). It’s better to pull your chocolate out of the microwave with some lumps, rather than overheating. Stir until the chocolate is lump free.
  3. Pour the chocolate onto the parchment paper and spread out using a spatula until the chocolate is 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Immediately sprinkle with the cranberries and pistachios. Gently press them into the chocolate. With the cardamom and cloves in your hands (and about 1 foot above the chocolate), lightly and evenly sprinkle the spices over the chocolate. Place the baking sheet into the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to add it to the cookie dough.

Cookie Dough

  1. In an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 10 tablespoons of butter, sunflower seed oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar and mix on medium until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and mix on low until completely incorporated, about 1 more minute. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Take the bowl out of the mixer and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, bread flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  4. Coarsely chop up your bark.
  5. Combine the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until barely blended You still want some streaks of flour. Add in the chopped up bark (add all of the excess chocolate dust, pistachios and cranberries left on the cutting boards) and fold into the dough until it’s evenly distributed. Yum.
  6. Lay out some plastic wrap on the counter. Dump the cookie dough on top of the plastic and wrap tightly. Now shove the plastic-wrapped dough into the fridge and forget about it. I mean it. Go do something else. Let it hang out in there for about 30 minutes.
  7. When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Make sure you have a rack in the top third of the oven.
  8. Cover your baking sheets with either parchment paper or a silpat.
  9. Gently roll 2 tablespoons of dough into a sphere. Place the dough balls on the covered baking sheet about 2 inches apart. I highly recommend that you put the dough in the freezer for a quick stint (about 10 minutes). *IF* you have a small freezer that won’t accommodate a large baking sheet, set the dough balls on a plate.
  10. They go straight from the freezer to the oven. Place your baking sheet on the top rack and bake for 12-13 minutes.
  11. Once done baking, sprinkle with sea salt flakes (optional) and let cool completely on the baking sheet.
  12. Once they are cool, store them in an air-tight container.
  13. Thank you for making these cranberry bark cookies! Please tag them @displacedhousewife #displacedhousewife so I can see these beauties. PEACE.

On My Mind

–Rebecca xo

 Cranberry Bark Peace Cookies | Recipe via DisplacedHousewife | Brown butter, spices, pistachios + cranberries

Comments

Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe

I love your comments, reviews and questions! If you love this recipe, please rate it when you leave a comment. Star ratings 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 help people discover my recipes. Your support means a lot, I look forward to chatting with you!

Rebecca xox

18 Comments

  • Liz November 29, 2016 at 4:04 AM

    Hello from Australia!
    Unfortunately fresh cranberries are very hard for us to source at this time of year (summer for us) so would you advise I use frozen or dried for the bark?

    Reply
    • DisplacedHousewife November 29, 2016 at 5:41 AM

      Hi Liz!! You know, if you make them with frozen cranberries, you’ll just need to let them thaw completely…otherwise they will A) be REALLY hard to chop and B) the coolness will make your chocolate seize up. It should work out fine. Report back and let us know how it goes. I hope you love them — I’m a wee bit obsessed!! Happy baking! xo

      Reply
  • Cathy | whatshouldimakefor.com November 19, 2016 at 3:18 PM

    Cookies make everything better. Or at least that’s my mantra. The bark in these is nothing short of genius!

    Reply
  • amisha November 16, 2016 at 5:55 AM

    This is absolute genius!!!! Bark in a cookie?! How clever is that?! and the flavors are spot on ! I would sooo make these cookies to give as gifts to friends! Lovely recipe Rebecca!

    Reply
    • DisplacedHousewife November 16, 2016 at 1:42 PM

      Thank you so much Amisha!!! I love to use bark in cookies — it’s the best!! xoxoxo

      Reply
  • Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen November 13, 2016 at 10:36 PM

    Wow! I totally love the idea of the bark in these cookies Rebecca! These definitely have to be on the holiday cookie menu at our house! We’ll be fighting over them I’m sure. And can I just say, I literally almost peed my pants watching that aerobics video! Hilarious! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a group of people more into what they’re doing! Thanks so much for sharing. It totally made my day!

    Reply
    • DisplacedHousewife November 13, 2016 at 11:54 PM

      Mary Ann — Those videos. They slay me!!! I was cracking up when I first saw that aerobics one — it’s so funny!! I hope you have a wonderful week!! xoxo

      Reply
  • Liz November 13, 2016 at 4:00 PM

    Quick question: Are these fresh or dried cranberries? Thanks ahead — I could use some new cookies, and these sound perfect.

    Reply
    • DisplacedHousewife November 13, 2016 at 4:26 PM

      Hi Liz! I just clarified in the Ingredients for you! They’re fresh. I hope you love them!! xoxo

      Reply
  • Karen @ Seasonal Cravings November 13, 2016 at 1:39 PM

    Bark in cookies? Why didn’t I think of that! Yummy deliciousness! Let the holiday baking begin.

    Reply
  • Laura | Tutti Dolci November 13, 2016 at 6:27 AM

    Such dreamy cookies! That bark sounds fabulous and then bundled up in cookie dough is like a Christmas hug. I love these! :)

    Reply
    • DisplacedHousewife November 13, 2016 at 1:32 PM

      Laura — Thank you!!! I wanted them to have jazz hands…and I wanted to play around with my own bark…and…cranberries. Wishing you a wonderful Sunday!! xoxo

      Reply
  • DisplacedHousewife November 12, 2016 at 10:14 PM

    I love putting peppermint bark in cookies!!! I have a chocolate chocolate cookie that I do that with… Love. And yes, peace cookies indeed. We need them all! xoxo

    Reply
  • heather (delicious not gorgeous) November 12, 2016 at 10:11 PM

    love the sound of using bark in these! i think it’d also be really yummy to use leftover peppermint bark in cookies, in that same vein. and the name is perfect. i think we all need some of these (and probably dorie greenspan’s world peace cookies).

    Reply