White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
When it's time for dessert, White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are always the first to get gobbled up. Mix white chocolate and tart dried cranberries in buttery cookie dough that's easy to make ahead, freeze, and bake later.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter at room temperature (1 stick)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips plus more for studding the outside of dough balls (see note 1)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries plus more for studding the outside of dough balls (see note 2)
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- In a medium bowl or on to a piece of parchment paper, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In an electric mixer fit with the paddle attachment, or with an electric mixer on high speed, cream butter until pale and fluffy. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat until the mixture is smooth (not gritty when you rub between your thumb and finger).
- Add egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add the flour mixture in batches (about 1 cup at a time) and mix on low speed until just blended. Add the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries and stir until just combined. (Optional: If it's hot in your kitchen, consider chilling the cookie dough for 20 minutes or so. If the dough is too soft, your cookies will spread too much. )
- Working with 1 heaping tablespoon of dough at a time, roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and lay on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. (I use the OXO medium cookie scoop, a size 40 portioner, and do 12 scoops of dough per baking sheet). If desired, press extra chocolate chips and cranberries into the outside of each dough ball.
- Bake until the cookies are starting to brown around the edges, about 10 minutes. Remove baking sheets from oven and carefully drop (more like slam) baking sheets on counter to remove air bubbles from cookies.
- Return to oven and bake 2 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
- White chocolate chips: If you can't find a high-quality white chocolate chip, buy an equal weight in bar form and chop it into chunks with a sturdy chef's knife.
- Dried cranberries: aka Craisins, these are easy to find at the grocery store or in bulk section of natural food markets. Or, substitute dried cherries (chop them up if needed).
- Yield: This recipe makes 24 cookies.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for 3 or 4 days.
- Make ahead: Wrap the cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days. When ready to bake, portion the dough as usual and bake.
- Freezing cookie dough: Portion the dough into balls and freeze by arranging the balls in a single layer on a tray or plate that can fit into the freezer. Once frozen solid, transfer into a freezer-safe bag or container. Label with the kind of cookie dough, baking temperature and cooking time in the recipe, and the date you made the dough. Bake the frozen cookies straight from the freezer in a 350-degree oven, increasing the baking time by a couple of minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookieCalories: 127kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 108mgPotassium: 30mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 180IUCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
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