
This cookie is an unintended “celebrity.” Thanks to my friend and great author Dorie Greenspan, it has earned acclaim, and it is one of very few cookies that customers ask for specifically upon arrival. Some customers do not even notice the other cookies on display! As I said to Dorie when she was featuring this cookie in her New York Times Magazine article (thanks, Dorie!), the origin of this cookie is quite random.
I wanted to make cookies with rye flour. Then I needed a contrast, a sour component and texture, or a “crunch”—thus, cranberries and poppy seeds. Dark chocolate rounds things out with its bitterness. This cookie is not a flashy celebrity. I rather find her a classy, discreet type, but it’s up to you to judge.
Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes (plus 3 hours for chilling)
Yield
Makes 15
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk together 1 cup plus 1½ Tbsp. (4¾ oz./130 g) rye flour, ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. (3 oz./85 g) all-purpose (plain) flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. baking soda (bicarbonate of soda), and ¾ tsp. sea salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Step 2
Working with a stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment, if you have one), beat 5 oz. (140 g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (3½ oz./100 g) cane sugar, and ½ cup (3 oz./90 g) light brown sugar together on medium speed for 3 minutes, until blended. Add 1 large egg and beat for 2 minutes more. Turn off the mixer, add the flour mixture all at once, then pulse the mixer a few times to begin blending the ingredients. Beat on a low speed until the flour almost disappears, then add ⅓ cup (1¾ oz./50 g) poppy seeds, ⅔ cup (2¾ oz./80 g) chopped dried cranberries, and ¾ cup (4½ oz./125 g) chopped bittersweet (dark) chocolate (ideally at least 70% cocoa solids). Mix only until incorporated. Scrape the bowl to bring the dough together, then cover and rest the dough in the fridge for a few hours, or ideally overnight.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Step 4
Divide the dough into 15 pieces, roll each piece into a ball, and place on a cold baking sheet, leaving 2" (5 cm) between each ball. Sprinkle with a little flaky salt, then bake for about 10 minutes until the edges are golden and the middle looks dry. Lightly tap each cookie in the middle, then, using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

