I bought cranberries early in the holiday season and put them directly in the freezer, like I always do, but just didn’t run into the need to use them. With just two of us, I don’t make a lot of extras for holiday meals. Now that those days are over, I am getting around to using those cranberries while it is still winter. They seem like a winter fruit, bright red and tart to compliment that cold, stark snow outside. Last week I made some cranberry muffins, but I have to say that it just didn’t seem like the right time for muffins. I think I associate muffins with spring. I prefer a cookie, maybe because they keep well, almost getting better over time, and that seems like a winter thing. They seem less decadent than most desserts, although I know that’s a false sense.

I adapted a recipe, using half the called-for butter, adding solid shortening for the other half, and I used White Lily® flour, which made them more tender than a regular, all-purpose flour. I used a large scoop (about 2 tablespoons), so my yield was lower than the original, and my cookies larger. I did not glaze the cookies, as the original recipe suggests, but I did add vanilla to the batter.

Cranberries and walnuts

Batter

Large scoops

Soft cookies