Double Chocolate Cranberry Hazelnut Cookies

'Tis officially the cookie season and I have been baking lots of them. Few old favorites and some new ones. The old favorites are mostly Martha Stewart recipes.. Nothing beats the deliciousness of her chewy chocochips cookies... Nothing other than these Double Chocolate Cranberry Hazelnut Cookies...

In view of my husband's growing cholesterol and his doctor's advice I tweaked Martha's recipe to use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. Also I added some hazelnuts to the cookie dough.. Yes. like all nuts, the fat content in hazelnuts is high, however they are good unsaturated fats that keep your heart healthy and mentally alert. Consumption of the latter was also recommended by the doctor. (In case you are interested you can read more about the nutritional facts of hazelnuts here.)

I must mention that the whole wheat flour and the hazelnuts did not meddle with the awesomeness of these cookies... In spite of  their presence these cookies turned out to be as decadent as ever...

Double Chocolate Cranberry Hazelnut Cookies

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Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Prep time: 25 minutes                                                                                   Cook time: 15-16 minutes
Total time: 40-45 minutes                                                                             Yield: 20

Ingredients

• 10 oz milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup minus 2 tbsps whole wheat flour
• 5 tbsps unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1./2 tsp coarse salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts

Cooking Directions

1. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven.
3. Put 10 oz of chocolate chip in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate melts, then set it aside.
4. Sift the flour together with the baking powder and cocoa. Add the salt to the flour mixture and keep it aside.
5. Using a electric mixture beat the butter together with the sugars until it is light and fluffy.
6. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest and beat till they are well combined.
7. Next beat in the melted chocolate into the butter-sugar mixture.
8. Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter-sugar-chocolate mixture and mix lightly using a wooden spoon until just combined (take care and do not over-mix.)
9. Lightly chop the hazelnuts(I did this by pulsing them in the blender) .
10. Fold the chopped hazelnuts, cranberries and remaining chocolate chips into the cookie dough.
11. Drop 1-1/2 tbsps of the dough, 2 to 2-1/2 inches into the prepared baking trays and bake in preheated oven for 15-16 minutes.
12. Let the baked cookies stand in the tray for 3-5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks and cool completely before serving.

I shall be sharing this at the following parties.

Monday : Mix it up Monday, The Scoop, Made with love Monday, 
Marvelous Mondays @ This Gal Cooks, Melt in your Mouth Monday, Inspiration Monday Party Sharing Monday, 
Inspire Me Monday, Clever Chicks Blog Hop,Maniac Monday Linky Party

Meatless Monday:Meatless Monday My Sweet and Savory

Tuesday : Totally Tasty Tuesday @ Mandy's Recipe Box, Tasteful Tuesday Party @ Nap Time Creations, 
Show Me What You Got @ Our Delightful Home ,  Hand Made Tuesday @ Ladybug Blessings
Share it Link Party @ Winthrop Chronicles,  Tasty Tuesday @ Anyonita Nibbles,  Hearth and Soul blog Hop, 
In & Out of the Kitchen @ Feeding Big & More, Tuesday's Table @ Love in the Kitchen, 

Wednesday : What's Cooking Wednesday @ Buns in my Oven, Cast Party Wednesday @ Lady Behind the Curtain, 
Show and Share @ Semi Homemade Mom, Wine'd Down Wednesday, 
Wonderful Food Wednesdays at @ All She Cooks Wednesday, Whatsit@White Lights on Wednesday, 
Wednesday Extravaganza @ Hunger Little Girl, Create & Share @ The Trendy Tree House,
What I Whipped Up Wednesday @ Sugar & Dots Look, What I Made @ Creations by Kara

Thursday: Link it Up Thursday @ Seven Alive, Fantastic Thursday @ Three Little Chiefs, 
Thriving on Thursdays @ Domesblissity,  Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage , 
 Freedom Friday @ My Turn,  Thursday's Treasures @ Food Done Light,Pin it Thursday @ Sweet Bella Roos

Friday : Foodie Friday @ Simple Living and Eating,  Friday Linky Party @ The Pin Junkie, 
Get Him Feed @ Anyonita Nibbles, Friday Favorite (DYI too) @ Simple Sweet Home,  
Foodie Friday @ Not Your Ordinary Recipes, Foodie Friday @ Rattlebridge Farm, 
Weekend Wonders @ The Thriftiness Miss, Friday Food Frenzy @ Mostly Food and Crafts, 
Weekend Potluck @ Sunflower Supper Club, The Weekend re-Treat @The Best Blog Recipes