Cookies with Cranberries/Walnuts/White Chocolate Chips*

These cookies passed the "cookie 

tasting test" by everyone here.

Yield:  5 dozen  (This recipe can be easily cut in half to make 30 cookies) 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Cups (4 sticks, or 1 pound) butter, softened
• 1 and 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 and 1/2 granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

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• 4 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

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• 2 cups sweetened dried cranberries (Craisins)
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cream the softened butter in a large mixing bowl.  Beat in the sugars and the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl, combine and sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Stir the sifted dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, half at a time, until evenly mixed.
4. Stir in the dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and nuts.
5. Cover bowl tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.  
7. Lightly butter two large baking sheets OR line them with parchment paper (I used the parchment paper method).
8. Shape dough into 1 and 1/2-inch-diameter balls. 
9. Place the balls on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 and 1/2" inches between each.  
10. Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack in the oven for ABOUT 17 minutes.  (They take longer to bake because they are cold to start with.)  Since ovens vary in temperatures, check the baking process to control how you want yours to look.
11. When done, the edges of the cookies should be a light golden brown and the centers lighter in color.  Don't over-bake-- they will sort of "bake" a little bit more on their hot pans after coming out of the oven.
12. Cool cookies for about 5 minutes on their baking sheet and then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.  Store in an air-tight container.  I like that the moisture in the cranberries helps to keep the cookies more moist.  Enjoy!

*  I adapted (and doubled) this recipe 

from one in The Old Farmer’s Almanac 

Everyday Baking cookbook