52 Cookies - Chapter 49

I really, really like the cookie I made this week for Chapter 49.  I want to be ultra-selective as these last few weeks of the Cookie Journey wind down.  I also want to remain true to the season and bake cookies that fit the Christmas holiday.

With that said, I don't think you can get much more Christmasy than a cookie with little green chunks of pistachio nuts and bright red gems of dried cranberries. 

I stumbled across this recipe doing some blog-hopping.  I was on one of my favorite blogs and the writer mentioned a fellow food blogger's recipe for something-or-other and provided a link.  Intrigued and with a rare few minutes to spare, I clicked on over and found a treasure trove of recipes on Honest Fare.  I was drawn to the recipe for Pistachio and White Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Granted, I've never been big on white chocolate, I still wanted to give these a try.  One of the Cookie Journey's purposes, after all, was to step outside my cookie comfort zone.  I haven't done that nearly as much as I'd hoped I would, so I knew I owed it to myself.

These cookies come with a little bit of work on the front-end.  My thumbs are still sore from prying those pistachios out of their slippery, hard little shells. 

I had never baked with pistachios before and was pleasantly surprised to see how easily they chop.  They are almost soft in texture compared to an almond.  Otherwise, these cookie are very simple to make.  The rolled oats offer a chewy texture that I really like.  It was hard to stop at eating just one.  I made two batches of cookies today and knew I needed to pace myself.  There is a lot of cookie eating in my near future, after all!

Pistachio and White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Here's What You Need:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 1/4 cups chopped pistachios (raw, unsalted)
1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips
I added the dried cranberries myself thinking something was missing.  Start with about 3/4 cup of dried cranberries and see how that works for you.

Here's What You Do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar on high until completely combined.  Add the egg, milk and vanilla and mix well.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and oats.  Give it a mix and then slowly add it to the butter mixture with the mixer on low.  Remove the mixer paddle and add the pistachios, white chocolate chips and cranberries.  Stir by hand.

Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper and scoop out rounded teaspoon sized cookie dough globs.  I used my smaller scoop for this one.  Start out by baking the cookies for 10 minutes.  I found myself leaving them in about 10 or 11 minutes.  Just watch them based on how your oven runs.  This is a cookie you don't want to under bake too much.  With all those heavy nuts, cranberries and chips, they might fall apart.  I believe the addition of cranberries will also help these cookies remain soft and moist longer.

Yielding approximately 3 dozen cookies, I believe this recipe has won itself a spot on my Christmas cookie rotation for next year too!