With the odd ball list of ingredients I’m currently avoiding, pecans and cranberries are on the “green” for go list!
Aside from fresh fruit, chocolate is my typical go-to dessert and cocoa is on the “red” for no list. So, naturally I had to make a paleo cookie using pecans and cranberries. :)
Cake For Dessert
Before Jeff & I went paleo I was not a fan of cake or cake-like things like cupcakes or donuts so it was a pretty easy transition for me in terms of dessert. I’m an ice cream kinda girl and chocolate chip cookies are my absolute favorite.

The problem is, now that I’m avoiding chocolate and apples and bananas, some of my go-to paleo desserts are pretty much null and void.
On a more positive note, this little experiment is giving me the chance to get creative and experiment with flavor combinations I wouldn’t normally try.
Tips For Making These Cookies
Thanks to one of The Paleo Porn Family members who recently recommended cranberries as a flavor for my water kefir, I just purchased a frozen bag full. When I was putting the bag away in the freezer, I decided to put them to work right away.
For this recipe I used frozen cranberries straight from the freezer to my dough, so I’m not sure if that would change the consistency of the cookie if you use fresh instead of frozen but I thought I would make a note here just in case.
These cookies flatten out while baking, so be sure to give the dough balls enough space before transferring them to the oven.
Whether you bake them on a cookie sheet or a baking stone like I did, they’ll get slightly crispy on the outside and still have a medium softness in the center. (Medium softness in Marla speak means they won’t be ooey-gooey.) ;)
Alternatives To Pecans
If you’re not a fan of pecans, feel free to experiment with your favorite nut.
Walnuts and hazelnuts and almonds are some great options that pare well with cranberries.