Somehow I have conned my husband Eric into thinking that watering the Christmas tree is his job. Maybe it’s because he was the manly man who was responsible for tying the tree to the top of the van, hauling it into the house, and getting it all situated in the tree stand. Maybe he has a lingering sense of responsibility for it’s care?
But guys. I am a work at home mom. There are some days when I don’t even leave the house beyond taking my kids to school. I’m literally here ALL DAY. And yet I get these texts from him at work: “I forgot to water the tree again! Can you send one of the kids to do it?” I seriously don’t know how I got off the hook for this chore, but I’ll take it. Watering the tree is like a full body work out, amiright??
Are you guys real-Christmas-tree people? Or do you go with a fake tree? In my house growing up, we had vaulted ceilings, so it was our favorite family tradition to hike in the woods at a cut-your-own tree farm, and find a 13 foot Christmas tree. Seriously, the star nearly touched the ceiling every year. A real Christmas tree is just one of the things that makes Christmas magical for me!
Another thing that makes Christmas magical: a ridiculous amount of COOKIES. My kitchen has basically turned into a cookie producing machine, there are so many cookies come out of it right now. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Soft and Chewy Molasses Cookies, Ginger Molasses Sandwich Cookies, Butter Pecans, The Softest Sugar Cookies of Your Life! « seriously. It’s the best time of year!!
How to make White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
I have been meaning to holiday-ify these Texas Cowboy Cookies forever. They are one of the top cookies on my site, beloved by so many! I get emails and comments all the time that somebody’s mom or grandma used to make these cookies but they never got the recipe. But this is it! It’s the perfect combination of chewy, crunchy, sweet and salty. There are so many mix ins that it’s hard to keep track of them when you take a bite! But in a good way, it’s so good.
Today’s cookies are almost exactly the same, but I swapped out the peanut butter chips and semi sweet chocolate chips for dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. I also omitted the corn flakes called for in Texas Cowboy Cookies. But I left in the oats, chopped toasted pecans, and flaked coconut. The result is, in my opinion, one of the BEST White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies I’ve ever eaten. It is chewy and soft in the center, a little bit crispy on the edges, and has TONS of flavor. White chocolate and cranberry is just one of the greatest combos, right?
I have a secret for how to get the cranberries on these cookies looking so ruby red. I wish I had figured out this trick when I shot these Dark Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies, because you can’t really see the cherries in those photos, or what you can see is just dark. But in today’s photos, the cranberries look nice and bright red. I used regular dried cranberries straight from the package to mix into the dough of these White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies. But for the ones that I pressed into the top of each cookie, I rehydrated them.
Pour very hot water over the top of about a cup of dried cranberries, and let them sit for about an hour. This makes them bright red and plump. They do lose a leeeetle bit of flavor (you will see how red the water gets, and taste one, they are not as potent) but the regular dried ones that are mixed into the dough will cover you for flavor. Rehydrating some of them and pressing them into the top is purely for looks. I love it!
I think these cookies would look so pretty on a cooke plate to give to your neighbors! Cranberries are just so festive!
More cookies you are sure to love!
Texas Cowboy Cookies « one of the most popular recipes on my site, and the base for today’s white chocolate cranberry cookies version!
Dark Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies « these are some of the most amazing cookies EVER.
Chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies « the best combo right??
More holiday cookies you will love!
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies from Mom on Timeout Cranberry Pistachio Cookies from In Katrina’s Kitchen Fresh Cranberry Bars from The View from Great Island « these sound legit. I love Susan’s blog.
