Raspberry Cornmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Fresh berries aren’t great ingredients to use when baking a batch of cookies, even when it seems like those flavors would be perfect in a batch of classic chocolate chip dough. This is because fresh fruit adds a lot of moisture to cookie dough and you can end up wit a cookie that is a little more soggy than chewy. This is especially a problem when you want to bake a big batch of cookies, because that fresh fruit means that the cookies aren’t going to keep that fresh-baked texture as well as other cookies will. Freeze dried fruit is the perfect solution because it allows you to add a berry (or other fruit) flavor to a batch of cookies without changing the consistency of the dough.

These Raspberry Cornmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies feature freeze dried raspberries for a bright berry flavor alongside rich dark chocolate chips. Raspberries go well with chocolate in many desserts, and these cookies are no exception. The freeze dried berries get stirred into the cookie dough with the chocolate chips, no special treatment necessary. They’re also stocked at many regular grocery stores these days (I found mine at Trader Joe’s), so they’re fairly easy to find.

This cookie dough is slightly unusual because it contains cornmeal. I find that cornmeal adds a subtle crunch to the cookie dough and, while you won’t end up with a cookie that tastes like cornbread, you do get the smallest hint of corn sweetness in the dough. The dough is fairly dry for these cookies, which makes it very easy to work with; the dough can easily be shaped by hand into balls before baking.

The cookies end up being crisp around the edges with just the right amount of chewiness in the center, and a little extra crunch and texture from the cornmeal. They store very well for several days when kept in an airtight container, and you can easily substitute other dried fruit into this basic recipe for other flavor combinations.

Raspberry Cornmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup freeze-dried raspberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, followed by vanilla extract.
Gradually, with the mixer on low speed, blend in the flour mixture until the dough comes together. Stir in chocolate chips and freeze dried raspberries. The dough will be quite stiff.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place onto prepared baking sheet, allowing about 2-inches between cookies to allow for spread.
Bake for 10-13 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned and set. Allow to cool for 3-4 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies