Festive Cookies - pistachio, cranberry and white chocolate
I was going to wait until mid-December to start sharing my Christmas excitement, but I just can't hold it back. Christmas is my favourite time of the year and I'm always amazed by the effort everyone goes to. Christmas in Australia is hot, though I can't help but feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside when I see the decorations everywhere. Christmas in Europe is amazing in that typical that's-what-we-see-in-movies way. Spending Christmas in snowy Switzerland had me pinching myself because I kept thinking I'd actually see Santa Claus trudging through the snow up my street. (The pretend Santa's at shopping centres freak me out.) The climates are so different, but they both embrace the spirit so whole-heartedly and everyone has their own special traditions. Cherry pavlovas are a key dessert at Mum and Dad's place for Christmas, and I think that these cute cookies will also be making an appearance at the Christmas table.
What you'll need:
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
300g butter, chopped
3 eggs (see note)
3 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt flakes
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
450g white chocolate melts
1 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
What to do:
Preheat the oven to 180C and line 4-5 baking trays with non-stick paper.
Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter until pale and creamy. Add the eggs and beat until combined. Add the flour, salt and baking powder and beat until a soft dough forms.
Mix in the chocolate, pistachios and cranberries. Roll heaped teaspoons of the dough into balls and place on the tray. Press each cookie lightly with a fork. Place the first few trays into the oven, and keep the others in the freezer while you wait.
Bake cookies for 20 minutes or until golden and crispy. Remove and allow to cool on the tray before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy warm or when cooled.
Note: This recipe makes over 50 cookies, so cut the measurements in half if you're feeding a small crowd this Christmas. When halving, just use two small eggs.
