Christmas

It was so chilly the other night that I couldn’t help but thinking of how summer is winding down and that I just have to deal with it. Fall is approaching whether I want it to or not. Don’t get me wrong, I love fall, but it’s that evil winter that follows that hurts. But on the positive side turning on the oven for roasting and baking will warm the house and smells will fill it up with love.

While I had really considered making meat pasties, a Michigan favorite, I couldn’t resist making another sweet cherry treat for this week’s edition of Sprint Cup Snacks for this weekend’s race at Michigan International Speedway. Especially since I’ve been craving sweets lately. So the idea of the sweet smell of cherries filling up the house was just too irresistible to pass up.

I had so much fun looking up desserts using cherries and while the idea of making coffee cake, blondies, and hand pies all sounded awesome I decided on making cookies. I have had cookies on the mind for weeks so I finally got to stretch my baking legs and but my mixer to use.

These Cherry White Chocolate Chip Cookies are some big cookies! I don’t think anything gets better than big fresh from the oven cookies. Well, maybe world peace but cookies can be homemade in under an hour so let’s just go with that. So grab a big glass of milk and a cookie (or a few) and enjoy!!

Cherry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 24 large cookies

Ingredients

• 4 1/4 ounces cake flour (1 cup)
• 4 1/4 ounces all purpose flour (1 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 5 ounces light brown sugar (scant 3/4 cups packed)
• 4 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup, plus 3 tablespoons)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 oz white chocolate chips
• 5 oz dried cherries

Process

1. Preheat theoven to 350 degrees. Line insulated baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. Sift the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl with a wire whisk. Set aside.
3. In bowl of electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until very light, about five minutes. Add in the egg and vanilla extract, mix well. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips and dried cherries with rubber spatula.
4. Use a cooking scoop or spoons to drop dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown and set in the middle.
5. Allow cookies to cool on sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling racks to cool completely.

Sourced from Amanda’s Cookin’