So as some of you know, I gave up on online dating a couple months ago. After many unsuccessful dates that left me questioning the human race and whether or not my soulmate died in a hideous car accident, I decided it’d be best to remain single for the time being and just let love find me naturally.
Or find me never. You know, whatever happens.
And since then, I haven’t even received a longing side-eye from a dude in the mall, a number scribbled on a scrap of paper, nothing. It’s like I don’t exist or perhaps I grew a mustache and am repulsing the male species. Either way, I was starting to come to terms with the fact that I’m probably destined to be alone forever.
A couple days ago, I went to Target with my mom to pick up random odds & ends. We stopped by a hot cocoa display and were debating which kind of cocoa to get (she dark chocolate, me with classic milk) when a cute Target dude happened by and said, “milk chocolate all the way!” and smiled in my direction.
Later, we were stopped at another display and I mentioned about how only grandmas buy those terrible strawberry candies — you know the ones in the strawberry packages that come from the devil’s handbag?Those. And after making this comment, Cute Target Guy laughs and says “ain’t that the truth,” then smiles again and walks away. As I started to walk away myself, my mom nudges me and says, “you should probably wait here. I bet he’s going to give you his number or you should give him yours.”
It was at that very moment, standing in Target with my mother, that I realized my mother was now my wing-woman. And not only was the woman who birthed me my wing-woman, but she actually had mad game. Not like, “hey there, my daughter’s single” embarrassing game, but like, suave dating-advice-columnist game. Is my mom Carrie Bradshaw?
Anyway, long story short, I didn’t get his number (he didn’t offer, and I wandered off into cosmeticsand thus was useless to the world at that point)but I did get some insight into my new dating game plan: bring mom everywhere with me. Nothing says “single and ready to mingle” like your mom tagging along with you to the bar, am I right?
Actually… maybe not. (Sorry Mom).
One thing Iwould like to carry with me at all times would be these cookies.Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies, to be exact. These are one of myfavorite cookie flavor combinations ever. There’s something just so magical and irresistible about the combination of bright, tart cranberries with sweet, smooth white chocolate.
And these fabulous flavors pair perfectly with this fantastic, all-purpose cookie base that makesthe best, softest and chewiest cookies ever. No flat, crispy discs here: these cookies are puffy, golden brown and super-soft, thanks to the use of cornstarch and lots of brown sugar. They’re warm and perfectly flavored with vanilla (1 Tablespoon!) and creamy California butter for the ultimate “best-ever” cookie. You won’t be disappointed!
(And hey, mom approves!)
NOTE: Some people are having issues with the cookies spreading too much. To fix this, I have increased the amount of flour by 2 Tablespoons to help ensure the cookies have a better moisture to dry ingredient ratio. As always, make sure you’re using butter, not margarine; fresh leavening agents; and thoroughly chilling your dough before baking. Other troubleshooting tips: bake the cookies on parchment or silicone liners as opposed to greased pans (more grease = more slippery and prone to spreading) and you can try freezing your cookies after scooping into balls for about 10 minutes before baking.
Soft, chewy and perfectly tender Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies will be a hit with your family! Tart, bright cranberries and smooth, sweet white chocolate make for the ultimate irresistible flavor combination.
Prep Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Course: Cookies
Servings: 24
Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract I like to use Madagascar Bourbon
- 1 egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 Tablespoons
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- Pinch salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar & white sugar with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and egg to combine. Lastly, beat in the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and pinch of salt until a soft dough has formed. Stir in the cranberries and white chips by hand.
Refrigerate the cookie dough for AT LEAST 1 HOUR. You can chill it overnight if you'd like, but one hour chill time is mandatory to prevent cookies from spreading and to create that light, soft and chewy texture.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with silicone liners or mist lightly with cooking spray. Remove chilled dough from fridge and roll into Tablespoon-sized balls. Place onto the cookie sheets about 1-2" apart from one another.
Bake for approx. 8-10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time to ensure an even cook. Cookies may appear slightly undone, but do not over-bake them! They will continue to set up more as they cool. Allow cookies to set on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes or so before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. If you'd like to make them prettier, garnish cookies with additional white chips on top of still-warm cookies before serving.
I am positivelyin love with these cookies! Soft, tender, and chewy, they’re puffy and golden with lots of buttery vanilla flavor and studded with tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate. They’re as delicious as they are pretty and festive and they’d make a great cookie for a cookie swap or holiday party!
Have a fantastical day!!
xo, Hayley
