Browned Butter White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies

Let us talk about decadence. Let us talk about Christmas cookies. Let us talk about butter. Lots and lots of butter--browned butter to be exact.

These browned butter chocolate chip cookies have that caramelized, butterscotch-y taste that makes the most memorable chocolate chip cookies so memorable. They also have those crispy-delicious crunchy edges juxtaposed with a soft center. It is impossible to choose my favorite part of these cookies--it is the overall experience that makes them so grand.

These cookies, when made with white chocolate chips and dried cranberries, are not messing around. This is one rich, sweet cookie. But I contend that the holidays are a perfect time for this cookie. We all indulge a little this time of year, right? These cookies also involve two extra steps. When you are baking a lot for the holidays, maybe you are not inclined to make cookies that have two extra steps. Maybe you just want to get the cookies over with. Those regular cookies will taste good, I don't doubt it for a second.

BUT, I assure you these cookies will taste better. Like many things that take a little extra effort, it is worth it! First, there is the browning of the butter, which imparts a lovely depth and adds extra complexity. I actually really like this step because when I want to make cookies, I rarely remember to get butter out so it can warm to room temperature. Here you melt the butter, so it eliminates that problem altogether.

The second extra step doesn't take much effort, just a little extra time. You whisk the butter and sugars and then let them rest. Over an interval of about ten minutes, you repeat that process a few times. During this step, the sugars dissolve. To be honest, I don't know exactly how dissolved sugar helps these cookies. You'll have to ask Cook's Illustrated about that. Maybe it's a textural thing. All I know is that it works.

So bake a batch or two. Share some. Save plenty for you and yours. Curl up on the couch near the Christmas tree. Have your friends and family gather 'round and give everyone a cookie. To me, this is what the holidays are all about.

Browned Butter White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies

~Print Recipe~

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 28 tablespoons (yes, 3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

1. Put an oven rack in the middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. Whisk the flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large heatproof bowl, cut 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of butter into a few pieces. Set aside. Heat 20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) of butter in a light colored skillet over medium-high heat. (Do not use a non-stick pan if you can avoid it. You need to see the color of the melted butter to know when it has browned.) Once the butter is melted, continue cooking and stirring until the butter is a dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma, 2-3 minutes. (This will seem to take awhile, but change will happen quickly so pay close attention.) Remove the skillet from heat and our into the large bowl. Stir until all of the butter has melted.
4. Add both sugars, salt and vanilla to the butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add the eggs and the egg yolks. Whisk until smooth. Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times. The mixture should be thick, smooth and shiny.
5. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in white chocolate chips and cranberries, making sure no flour pockets remain.
6. Spoon dough in 3 tablespoon portions spaced 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (These cookies will spread, so I recommend 8 to a sheet for perfect cookies. 10 to a sheet if you don't mind the edges sometimes touching.) Bake cookies 1 tray at a time, rotating halfway through, until the cookies are golden brown and still puffy; the edges will have begun to set, but the centers will still be soft--10 to 14 minutes. 
7. Cool cookies on the baking sheet placed on a wire rack until the cookies can be transferred to the rack itself to cool completely. (If you can wait that long.)

Makes 3 dozen cookies

Jeanne's Fudge

My mom always did a lot of baking for the holidays when I was growing up. Every year it was the same--peanut brittle, Mrs. Fields' cookies, almond roca.  I loved--and still love--all of it, but I was excited when we would switch holiday treats with the Foremans.

The Foremans, family friends who are actually more like family, always had quite a holiday spread, but the treats that really stick out in my memory are peanut butter blossoms, caramel corn and fudge. Jeanne would do some plain fudge, some with nuts and often some with marshmallows. Yum. So rich and chocolaty! I love the smooth texture and the way it melts in your mouth. When I was thinking about what do make for Christmas this year, I wanted a little variety. I baked some cookies and made some toffee. I needed something to round it all out, so I dug around and found Jeanne's fudge recipe. Perfect. It's nice to know that nowadays I can make it whenever I want! Thank you, Jeanne!

Jeanne's Fudge

~Print Recipe~

• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup room temperature butter
• 1 jar marshmallow creme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 18 oz. chocolate chips
• 2 cups chopped nuts (optional)
  

1. Butter a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish with deep sides.
   
2. Combine sugar and evaporated milk in a very large saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. (Jeanne recommends reading something while you stir. I think this is a great idea, but when I tried it my pot nearly boiled over. So, make sure you also keep an eye on your mixture!)
3. Add vanilla, butter, marshmallow creme and salt. Mix until melted.
4. Add chocolate chips and stir until combined. Add nuts, if using, and stir to combine. 
5. Pour into prepared baking dish and refrigerate. Keep refrigerated until about an hour before serving.  The texture of the chilled fudge is not as satisfying as that of room temperature fudge. But at the same time, fudge that has been sitting out for hours will start to get very soft. 

Note: As you can probably tell from the photo, I did have some trouble getting it out of the dish. I could have needed more butter on the dish. Anyone have other suggestions?

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

I needed something to pair with Christmas Blend coffee, so something with ginger, orange, cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves. I found this Martha Stewart gingerbread cupcake recipe (Martha always comes through in a pinch) online and that took care of all of the spices in one fell swoop. Then I saw a recipe on 52 cupcakes that topped gingerbread cupcakes with a lemon cream cheese frosting. I figured orange would work just as well. And done---I've got all of my flavors present and accounted for. This recipe makes 10 "jumbo" sized cupcakes, but since I only have the regular size pan it made about 20. And that's ok with me, because I figure the more cupcakes the merrier!

These cupcakes have 2 teaspoons of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt, which I felt made them a little too salty. I would maybe add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Then again, maybe that's just the way gingerbread is suppose to taste, so salt to your preference.

I had forgotten how much fun cupcakes are to make and eat!

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

~Print Recipe~

• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or less, to taste)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 cup unsulphured molasses
• 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line you cupcake tin with paper baking cups, set aside. In a saucepan or kettle, bring 1 cup water to a boil. In a small bowl, combine boiling water and baking soda and set aside. In a large bowl, sift flour, spices, salt and baking powder together and set aside. 
2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter until light. Add the brown sugar and beat until fluffy, around 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses, baking soda mixture and flour mixture. Beat in the eggs. 
3. Fill cupcake liners until 3/4 full. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for a few minutes, then transfer them to the rack to cool completely before frosting.
4. Frost and sprinkle with crystallized ginger.
 

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

~Print Recipe~

• 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature
  
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• zest of one orange
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

1. Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until soft. Slowly add sugar, zest and juice. Beat until creamy--about 3 minutes.
2. Chill frosting before frosting cupcakes.
   

Easy Peanut Brittle

My mom and I always made this recipe during holiday baking sessions when I was a child. It's a recipe that her dad made often with her. I hadn't made this peanut brittle in years, but a friend of mine suggested a potluck of food our grandparents would have made and this was an obvious choice. I was a little worried it wouldn't turn out right, but it's as easy as I remember. You just have to move quickly! This is prepared mostly in the microwave, so it's nice to have a microwaveable pot (glass or porcelain) with a handle. Lacking anything close, I just used a glass mixing bowl, which meant I needed help pouring the molten hot brittle out to cool. It got a little messy, but the brittle turned out delicious. (My friends seemed to think so, too.)

Carl's Microwave Peanut Brittle:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup salted, dry-roasted peanuts
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

1. Use a deep (microwaveable) mixing bowl with a handle. Mix the sugar and the light corn syrup. Microwave on high for 4 minutes.
2. Add peanuts and mix well. Microwave on high for 4 minutes.
3. Add butter and vanilla. Mix well. Microwave for 1 minute.
4. Add baking soda. Mix together quickly and pour onto a buttered cookie sheet or marble slab.
5. Break up when completely cool. (Do not put in the refrigerator.)

Different microwaves may require different times. (But these times worked fine on mine!)