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Preheat oven to 325u00b0F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, ground ginger).
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In a medium bowl, stir together coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Stir in crystallized ginger and dried cranberries. The dough will be thick.
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Roll dough into small balls and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes, being careful not to over-bake. Let cool for 10 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Notes:
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1. You can find crystallized ginger in a couple of different places. The first few times I made these, I used Trader Joe's crystallized candied ginger chunks and chopped them into small pieces. This year I used Archer Farms crystallized ginger from the spice aisle in Target.
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2. The cornstarch can be omitted, but it gives the cookies a softer and chewier texture.
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3. Drizzling (vegan) chocolate on top of these cookies is also a good idea and dresses them up a bit.
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4. You can make the dough ahead of time, shape them into balls, and place in a Ziploc bag in the freezer until you're ready to bake them. Just let them thaw a little bit before placing them in the oven.
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5. Baked cookies last up to 5 days in an airtight container or up to 3 months in the freezer.
