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The holiday season brings a flurry of warm, enticing flavors and none are quite as delightful as the combination of fresh cranberries and white chocolate. Our Fresh Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies are a perfect blend of tart, fruity bursts with creamy, sweet morsels, all encased in a soft, chewy cookie that promises to steal the show at any festive gathering.
Ingredients and Their Benefits
- Fresh Cranberries: Known for their vibrant color and sharp flavor, cranberries are packed with antioxidants and vitamins that can help support the immune system.
- White Chocolate: Adds a creamy texture and sweet balance to the tartness of the cranberries. It’s also a source of calcium and soothing cocoa butter.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the cookies, ensuring they are tender yet durable.
- Butter: Gives richness and depth to the flavor profile while helping to achieve a desirable, chewy texture.
- Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: A combination of sugars allows for a deeper flavor with a hint of caramelization while aiding in moisture retention.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together, contributing to the cookies’ richness and color.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Help the cookies rise, making them light and fluffy.
- Vanilla Extract and Salt: Enhance the flavors of the other ingredients, making the cranberry and white chocolate stand out.
Step-by-Step Baking Guide
Preparing the Cookie Dough
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat the butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Combine with Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in Cranberries and White Chocolate: Gently fold in the fresh cranberries and white chocolate chips.
Baking and Cooling
- Scoop the Dough: Use a cookie scoop to place dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 Minutes: Bake until the edges are golden but the centers remain soft.
- Cool on a Wire Rack: Allow cookies to cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Flour: Can be used in place of all-purpose flour for those with gluten sensitivities.
- Vegan Options: Substitute butter with vegan butter and eggs with a flaxseed meal mixture (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal with 3 tablespoons water per egg).
- Add Nuts: Include chopped pecans or walnuts for added texture and flavor.
Storage and Serving Suggestions
These cookies are best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For a festive touch, serve them with a glass of mulled wine or your favorite holiday beverage.
Conclusion
Our Fresh Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies are not only a treat to your taste buds but also a visual delight that promises to add a special touch to your holiday celebrations. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a novice, this recipe offers a perfect way to bring joy and flavor to your festive baking repertoire.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour-spoon and leveled (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter-room temperature
- 4 oz. brick-style cream cheese-room temperature
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 1 large egg-room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 8 oz. white baking chocolate-finely chopped in small pieces (you can use with white chocolate chips)
- 1 ½ cup fresh cranberries-cut into quarters
Instructions
- Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese with vanilla, and sugar. Add an egg and mix to combine.
- Slowly mix in dry ingredients until evenly combined.
- Fold in chopped white chocolate. Finally, fold in chopped cranberries.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F and place the rack in the center position.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll 1-inch balls of cookie dough and arrange on baking sheets leaving 2 inches space apart.
- You can stick a few pieces of cranberries on each cookie dough ball, just for prettier presentation.
- Bake 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges. When removing the cookies from the oven you can press a few white chocolate chunks (or chips) on warm cookie, it will melt and stick onto cookie (this is also just for prettier look).
- The cookies will be soft when removing them from the oven. Cool them 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet, until slightly harden, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
