Cranberry Orange Cookies have mild fruit flavors that blend perfectly with the sweet cookie dough. Easy to make too so Have a Cookie!
Cookie recipes amaze me. Dang! Cookies amaze me. How can there be so many varieties and yet new recipes are continually being created?
Now I'm thinking, "Holy cow, this cookie is a new one too".
Orange Cranberry Cookies are huge, full of texture, and softly crunchy. Can you imagine them? The outside is lightly crispy and then they go into a soft and packed-full bite.
I've been on a protein kick lately. I mean making recipes that have a little extra protein in one way or the other.
Fiber makes you feel full and protein makes you feel full longer. It's a great way to fight those hunger pangs.
Enter Cookie! Oats, nuts, and even a little bit of protein powder all add up to extra protein. Yes!
They aren't too much work either. Plop a dollop of the dough onto a cookie sheet and you get these fun and unique cookies that are full of character.
Have a cookie!
Table of Contents
High protein cookies recipes
Here are a couple more high protein cookies that I have on the blog. They are easy to get to.
- Sunflower Seed Chocolate Cookies give an extra boost for power too!
How about a pic of the Sunflower Seed Chocolate Cookies:
There once was a time when there were cookie jars. Fanciful ceramic containers that mimicked your favorite movie stars or cartoon characters.
There was even a time when many of them got a top dollar on eBay for those vintage jars. Not too long ago. I mean over a thousand dollars!
Well, it's not the fashion now and I think people have learned that cookies keep much better in an airtight container and sometimes even in the refrigerator.
We end up freezing half of our cookies since there are only two of us. They defrost and taste just like new so it works really well.
These Orange Cranberry Cookies also freeze really well so go ahead and make a batch. Depending on the size of your family they may even be gone within a very few days.
Helpful tools
- There's even parchment paper cut into the size of baking sheets now. Life is so easy.
- My favorite pans to bake on are stainless steel baking sheets and these come in a set of two. You can buy them in sets of three and four also.
- Good old pyrex mixing bowls are still around and I love glass ones.
- When you're making cookies by hand a wooden spoon is a necessity.
All set? Let's start baking!
Ingredients
- Dairy-free butter adds the buttery creaminess needed for the dough.
- Coconut sugar adds a different type of sweet flavor in a very understated way.
- Orange juice adds necessary liquid along with a fruity undertone.
- Vanilla extract adds so much flavor to the mix.
- Whole wheat flour adds fiber and nutrients to the main base of these cookies.
- Vanilla protein powder helps give an oomph to the protein factor.
- Baking powder is a leavening agent.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats is one of the main ingredients and it makes the best chewy base.
- Chocolate chips add a mild crunch and more sweetened chocolate flavor.
- Walnuts add protein and that mild crunch factor.
- Dried cranberries are fruity and have a nice taste contratst.
Instructions
- lay parchment paper inside two baking sheets.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the dairy-free butter and coconut sugar on medium speed for 5 minutes. The mix will get light and fluffy.
- Add orange juice and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Add the flour, protein powder, and baking powder. Mix well.
- Add the rolled oats, chocolate chips, walnuts, and cranberries.
- Mix well on low speed just to combine.
- On the pre-prepared baking sheets, drop by heaping tablespoons full 2 inches apart. Shape into roundish flat cookie shapes. They are big cookies and end up about 3" across after baked.
- Bake at 375° F for 10 minutes.
- Cool one minute and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
You can substitute raisins for the cranberries but try not to if you can. Cranberries just make these cookies so much more special.
Now, I love raisins just as much as the next person but cranberries are super in this cookie recipe.
📋 Recipe
Orange Cranberry Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup dairy-free butter - softened
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup orange juice - from the fresh orange
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons vanilla protein powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit inside a baking sheet.
- In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and coconut sugar on medium sped for 5 minutes.
- Add orange juice and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Add flour, protein powder and baking powder and mix well.
- Add oats, chocolate chips, walnuts and cranberries.
- Mix well on low speed.
- Drop by heaping tablespoons full 2 inches apart on the pre-prepared baking sheet. Shape into roundish flat cookie shapes. They are big cookies, about 3" across after baked.
- Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
- Cool one minute and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Susan
Hi Ginny,
I have a some organic, fresh cranberries in the fridge; would using fresh over dried ruin the result?
Ginny McMeans
Hi Susan, That would be no problem at all. 🙂
jeanne
Could maple syrup be substituted for the powdered sugar?
Ginny McMeans
No, I am sorry. The cookie would be way too wet and not bake up.
Anonymous
What about palm sugar and would it still be the same measurement?
Julianne
I made these with plain flour, chopped mixed nuts and topped up what cranberries I had with coconut. Absolutely delicious - thank you!
Ginny McMeans
Those sound great Julianne! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Michelle
Yes, but the entire recipe would need to be tweaked after and then it would not be the same. I will be trying this with agave and adjusting the level of butter, then using marmalade instead of orange juice.
Ginny McMeans
Yes Michelle, any ingredient change is a different recipe but what you are going to try sounds good.
Stuti
I am not a vegan, but the recipe sounds very nice. So is it okay if I use normal butter, instead of vegan butter?
Carolyn Burnoski
I really like the recipe and want so much to try it but I don't use oil of any kind. What can I use instead of the dairy free butter?
Please answer I really want to try the recipe, It looks so yummy.
Thank you
Ginny McMeans
Thank you Carolyn. I'm not sure if there is a substitution. The dairy free butter is such a major part of the cookie. Maybe mashed banana? That shouldn't make it too wet. If you try it would you let me know?
Lisa Bryan
Orange and cranberry are such a delicious combo! And in a cookie that sounds like a winner to me. 😉
Natalie
These cookies look simply delicious! I love orange and cranberries!
Veena Azmanov
I love cranberry anything!! These sounds so delicious. Saving this for later. Such a pretty golden color.
linda spiker
Orange and cranberry is a favorite combination of mine!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
Yummy!! Cookies amaze me too! Although I'd probably say delight me more than amaze. I could eat cookies every single day and that would be a problem, so I don't. But I will be making your delicious orange cranberry cookies since I love the two ingredients together and I have extra cranberries waiting to be used!
Shari
I made these cookies for a New Year’s Eve party and they were a big hit! I’m a very inexperienced cook and I found the recipe easy to follow. I don’t care for walnuts so I subbed out more chocolate chips and it was fine.
The ingredients list baking powder but the instructions say to add baking soda. I used powder and they were good so I assume that’s what was supposed to be used.
Maija
I hope I'm not repeating other comments...
I'm wondering if coconut oil would be a good substitute for the vegan butter.. or would they spread too much? Also, could you leave out the protein powder, or replace it with something else? Those are two things I don't usually buy. Thank you.
ps My first thought was: "They look like real cookies!" Sorry, I'm new convert and I'm seeing things people are calling "cookies" but they don't look like 'real' cookies to me.
Ginny McMeans
Haha! I understand Maija, I'm old fashioned and love the look of cookies. I really believe you need to use dairy free butter so you can whip it to become light and fluffy. It's part of the whole cookie process. You can absolutely substitute the protein powder with more flour, white or whole wheat or almond. That was just to give the cookies more protein.
Shari
Hi Ginny,
I make these cookies for every occasion and they are always a huge hit! It's the only thing I make that consistently comes out good. I was just asked to make a gluten-free version. Can I substitute a gluten free mix flour blend for the whole wheat flour? Thank you!
Ginny McMeans
I am so sorry Shari but can't answer that question. Some mixes might work and other wouldn't. They might need more moisture added. I am so glad you make these cookies over and over again. Thank you!
Sharron Carson
Hi. can i substitute gluten free four?
Ginny McMeans
You can if it's one of those 1:1 mixes Sharron. Bob's Red Mill has one and Arrowhead Mills does too and some others. A straight substitution such as just almond flour or oat flour won't work.
Christine Mcmahan
I don’t have protein powder so can I leave it out without any replacement? Making these today! They look delicious.
Ginny McMeans
They should be fine without the protein powder Christine. You could add another tablespoon of flour. They may spread out a little bit more but that should be good too.