First Post! A Cookie for Autumn

Now that it's finally cooling off on the East Coast, the Piquant Gals have put our ovens back to work. This weekend, we made Dede Wilson's White Christmas White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies, from A Baker's Field Guide to Christmas Cookies. They didn't strike us so much as a festive holiday cookie, but more of an everyday treat to add to your cookie repertoire. The cookies were chewy, sweet but not too much so, and nutty from both the browned butter and the finely chopped walnuts. Jenn's coworkers devoured them before 9 a.m., and even the resident Grinch declared them delicious.


Recipe:
2 2/3 cups raw rolled oats (old-fashioned)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup dried cranberries
6 oz. white chocolate, broken into pieces*
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract

* we used the more convenient white chocolate chips - Ghirardelli brand

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper.

We divided the tasks: Jenn mixed the dry ingredients, while I dealt with the butter and other wet ingredients. And there's no need to bring out the electric mixer - a wooden spoon and a whisk will do the job.

Mix oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; stir in cranberries, chocolate and nuts. Set aside.

Melt and brown butter over medium heat, take care not to burn. You're looking for a rich golden-brown color, about 4 minutes.

Pour butter into a large bowl and whisk in brown sugar. Add cinnamon, eggs and vanilla, beating well after each addition.

Combine dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. Drop by generously rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10-11 minutes, depending on your oven and how generous your tablespoons are. A little over 11 minutes worked for us. The outside will be crisp and the inside nice & chewy.

Cool on racks. Makes approximately 70 cookies.