Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

a Cookies in a Jar version

It's been said that good things come in threes, and that was the case with this year's Christmas Cookies. All three recipes were a hit, but this cookie was the best of the threesome... in my opinion. Softly puffy yet chewy, semi-sweet and fruity, the first sample of these two-bite treats prompted tasters to immediately reach for another cookie. That first batch disappeared very quickly. I found the recipe online, just clicking around food blog links, when I landed on My Baking Addiction. Jamie's photos and this delicious-sounding cookie recipe caught my attention. Finding directions for layering the dry ingredients in a quart mason jar for presentation was a bonus feature. Cookies - in a jar - this could work for so many different cookie recipes!

Photo: ingredients for Espresso & White Chocolate Cookies

Photo: Cookies-in-a-Jar Gift Basket 

Brain flash! package the ingredients for my 2014 Christmas Cookie in jars: attach the recipes, add a few baking implements and build a gift basket. Easy peasy. This was a fun project and we certainly enjoyed taste-testing a batch of each cookie. Now I'm waiting to hear how the gift basket baking turns out. 

Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies 

Cookies in a Jar

with thanks & credit to Jamie at My Baking Addiction 

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened & cut in chunks

1 large egg, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 1/4 cup AP flour, divided

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed to measure

1/3 cup granulated white sugar

1/2 cup plump dried cranberries

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Note: To package in a 1-quart jar, arrange in layers as follows.

Layer One:

       1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon

Layer Two:

       1/2 cup rolled oats

Layer Three:

       1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon

       1/2 teaspoon baking soda

       1/2 teaspoon salt

Layer Four:

       1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

Layer Five:

       1/3 cup granulated sugar

Layer Six:

       1/2 cup dried cranberries, or raisins

Layer Seven:

       1/2 cup white chocolate chips, or dark chocolate chips

Layer Eight:

       1/2 cup chopped pecans, or walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use silicone baking mats.
2. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, combine 1/2 cup softened, unsalted butter, 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Add the entire jar of ingredients to the butter mixture. Using a wooden spoon, mix all ingredients until fully incorporated. This may take a little effort, but it will come together. Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1 and a half tablespoons) to measure and drop dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.