Coconut-Cranberry Chews

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder 
• 0.8 lb butter at room temperature
• 1.5 cups cranberries dried
• 3.3 cups flour all-purpose
• 1 tablespoon orange peel grated
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 1.5 cups coconut or dried sweetened flaked
• 2 teaspoons vanilla 

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• blender
• spatula

Directions

1. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 1 1/2 cups butter, sugar, orange peel, and vanilla until smooth.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add to butter mixture, stir to mix, then beat on low speed until dough comes together, about 5 minutes.
4. Mix in cranberries and coconut.
5. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.
6. Bake in a 350 regular or convection oven until cookie edges just begin to brown, 8 to 11 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.
7. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.