Orange Currant Polenta Cookies

It's that time of the year!!! Time to struggle to eat healthy! So the next three posts will be dessert recipes. Muah ha ha ha ha!!! I found the recipe for these Orange Currant Polenta Cookies through Food Network's 12 Days of Cookies emails last year I believe. I made these for Christmas last year and my brother requested them for Turkey Day this year...I'll probably make them for Christmas again this year too! I'm also sending a bunch of these to the hubster overseas. I've only been able to find currants at Akin's...I haven't looked at other health food stores though since I knew I can find them there. I suppose you could use raisins instead, but I don't think they'd be as good.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried currants
• 1/4-cup orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier) or water
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 medium oranges, zest finely grated
• 1 tablespoon coarse polenta or cornmeal

Ingredients!

The oranges make a nice snack that will keep you from eating as much dough and cookies :)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, add the currants and orange-flavored liqueur, or water. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain and discard the liquid. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to combine.

Butter and sugar...mmmm

Gradually add the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until incorporated, (the mixture will look curdled). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture all at once and mix again on low speed until a dough forms - scrape again including the beaters. 

This part always scares me...I picture flour flying EVERYWHERE!

Dough!!!

When a dough forms add the currants, zest, and polenta and mix on low until thoroughly combined. 

So many tasty currants!

Roll into small 1-inch balls, and arrange on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, about 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

I use a small ice cream scoop to form the cookies

Just out of the scoop as is...

Then I tried flattening them just to make sure they were baked all the way through in the center.

This recipe is pretty easy, though I will say grating the zest of two oranges takes quite a bit of arm power...or maybe I just need to work out more. No, scratch that...I KNOW I need to work out more. *sigh* Best by a grater :(