Cranberry Orange Cookies are made with plump fresh cranberries and the right amount of orange zest. They're super soft, moist and just bursting with flavor in every bite.
In a bowl cream together sugar, butter and applesauce using a hand-held mixer. Add orange zest and egg and beat just until yolk breaks. Add vanilla extract and beat for just a couple of seconds. Set aside.
In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients by combining flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add half of dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Add remaining dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until all is combined (Do not over-mix). Fold in cranberries and walnuts. Using a cookie scoop or spoon drop dough unto cookie sheet.
Bake for 7-10 minutes, remove from oven and let cookies cool on cookie sheet for 3 to 5 minutes. (Please do not over bake. Cookies may not look done when they are first removed from the oven; however, they will continue to bake as they cool). Place cookies on cooling rack.
Melt white chocolate as directed on packaging and drizzle over the top of each cookie.
Notes
Instead of drizzling with white chocolate, feel free to drizzle the top of each cookie with an orange glaze. Mix powdered sugar, 1 to 2 table spoons of orange juice or juice from a fresh orange, and a splash of vanilla extract.