cranberry white chocolate cookies

I have kind of a silly ritual. The night before I give a presentation, I bake. Baking is happy time. And when it comes to giving presentations, I feel like the worst thing is to over-prepare. The best thing: fill my kitchen with the sweet sweet glorious smell of sugar and butter.

This past Thanksgiving, my sister was craving a cranberry white chocolate cookie. And being the wonderful sister I am, I decided to include this cookie into the holiday baked goods repertoire this year. Turns out that improvising this cranberry white chocolate cookie was such a hit. My sister loved it, so I decided to make them again to bribe my professor.. I mean, share with the class.

Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 
2. In a bowl, whisk together dry ingredients-- flour, baking soda, salt.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or separate bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars until light and even consistency. Then, beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
4. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture (on stir speed) until just incorporated. Do not overmix!
5. Fold in cranberries and white chocolate. (I just add these in after my dough has come together and pulse the stand mixer on stir a few times)
6. Use a cookie scoop to drop even portions of the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. 
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes (rotating in between) until the edges are just light brown. If the cookies are overbaked they will be more crispy than chewy, so it's important to watch them.

So simple. So good. So festive. Enjoy!