Sweet Treats

Recipe—Craisin White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (AKA Santa’s Favorite)

Craisin White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

One of my favorite things about Christmas is all the traditions that go along with it. Gingerbread house building, baking, listening to Christmas music, hanging the stockings, you catch my drift. There is just so much magic in the month leading up to Christmas. Well, ever since my son with 10 months old we have taken him for annual photos with Santa. They are all framed and sit in chronological order (have a mentioned I have OCD tendencies before? LOL) along the entertainment center leading up to Christmas.

Santa

This year he is 10 years old and he still wanted to go take a pick with Santa. With COVID I didn’t think we could make that happen but sure enough, we found a place that was doing physically distanced photos by appointment only. Yay! Anyways, ever since my son could talk he would make sure to ask Santa what kind of cookies he wanted us to leave out for Christmas, it never fails, he ALWAYS says oatmeal. Now one thing I will fess up to is that I despise raisins! I cannot eat them! Even as an adult I will pick them out of trail mix. I refuse to contaminate a good oatmeal cookie with raisins! However, I do love me some craisins. So, ever since that first time Santa said he wanted oatmeal cookies, this recipe made it into the baking rotation. These are delicious, buttery, and just the right amount of chewy and sweet. To me, these cookies are the cookie of Christmas and I guarantee you they are Santa approved!

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c + 6 tbsp butter, softened
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 c oats uncooked
1 c craisins
11 oz white chocolate chips

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until creamy.
  • Add eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture.
  • Gradually start to fold in the flour ingredients into the butter mixture.
  • Add oats, craisins, white chocolate chips and mix well.
  • Drop dough by the spoonful onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  • Bake for 8–10 minutes or until light golden brown.
  • Allow cookies to sit on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a cutting board or cooling rack.
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Sweet Treats

Recipes—Craisin White Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

The first time I made these cookies was actually around the holidays. They turned out delicious! So good that I even included them in my annual holiday goodie boxes. While cranberries and white chocolate are perfect for the holiday season, I think they are equally perfect for any time of year. Cranberry and white chocolate is such an awesome flavor combo, why only enjoy during the winter months? Pudding cookies are great because they turn out super moist and are some of the softest cookies you will ever have! The pudding really helps to hold them all together so you end up with perfect little mounds of deliciousness!

INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 c butter, softened
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c sugar
3.4 oz vanilla instant pudding mix (dry, do not prepare)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c craisins
3/4 c white chocolate chips

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 350º.
  • In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour and baking soda. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the butter and sugars.
  • Add in dry pudding mix and beat until well blended.
  • Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
  • Slowly incorporate flour mixture until well combined.
  • Mix in craisins and white chocolate chips.
  • Roll the cookie dough into 1² balls and place on a greased baking sheet.
  • Bake cookies for 8­12 minutes or until just turning golden on the edges.

Recipe adapted from Chef in Training.