I feel like I blinked and suddenly Christmas is in matter of moments. I can’t tell you how in the mood for it I am this year though.
We’ve been gone for the holidays the last three years in a row (Nicaragua, Vancouver, and Thailand. I know, jet-setters.) and I am just ready to be at home, cosying up and getting in the spirit.
We bought our tree the first weekend in December and I am officially obsessed. I’ve been shopping for gifts, writing cards, listening to Christmas tunes, day dreaming about mulled wine and sausage rolls…. I just can’t stop.
So, yes, I am unabashedly excited about Christmas. Are you?
These cookies seem especially festive to me. I think it’s the red and white combo that does it. They’re another Ottolenghi creation – the man never ceases to hit the nail squarely on the head.
This recipe is from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook
They’re thin, crispy and buttery beyond belief. Dan inhaled five of them within minutes of me bringing them out of the oven. So…yeah. I’m more of a soft, fluffy cookie girl but these really hit the spot. Chewy cranberries and oats and melty oh-so-sweet white chocolate chips. Your friends would probably keep you a little closer if you brought a batch of these over.
White Chocolate and Cranberry Biscuits
from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook
British measurements are listed first with American adaptations second. If you don’t own a measuring scale I highly recommend buying a cheap digital one so that you can weigh ingredients accurately for baking. Most have the option for grams and ounces. Here’s a reasonably priced option. Also, the argument for using a scale :)
Ingredients
- 90g plain flour/ 3.7 oz all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda/ baking soda
- 100g/ 3.52 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 110g/ 3.8 oz soft brown sugar
- 25g/ 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 80g/ 2.82 oz whole rolled oats (not the instant kind)
- 60g/ 2.1 oz white chocolate, chopped into chocolate chip sized pieces (or just use white chocolate chips)
- 75g/ 2.64 oz dried cranberries
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 170C/350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl add the butter, vanilla, and sugars and beat with a wooden spoon until combined. Gradually add the egg, combining thoroughly after each addition.
- Add the flour mixture and the oats, then the chocolate and cranberries. Mix to combine but be careful not to over-mix once the ingredients are blended together.
- Chill the mixture in the fridge for about 15-30 minutes to help you shape the biscuits. Scoop up a bit of the mixture and shape it into a ball somewhere between the size of an olive and a walnut. Press the balls lightly onto the baking tray. Be sure to space them a good distance apart as they’ll spread quite a bit during baking.
- Place in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until they’re brown in colour. Remove from the oven and cool on trays before serving.
