Cranberry Cream Drops

For a friend's birthday recently, I decided to make some cranberry cream drops - one of my favorite "non-chocolate" kind of cookies and a real winner. I have had this recipe for such a while now that I am not sure where it originally came from, but this is my own adopted version, anyway, so I've included it here below in type.  Give 'er a try!

Cranberry Cream Drops

*Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies

*Preheat oven to 350°

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the following:
1 cube butter

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Then add the following:

1/2 cup flour, sifted

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

pinch of cinnamon

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup vanilla chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

*Mix thoroughly and drop by heaping teaspoonfuls about 2" apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

*Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light brown in color.

*Allow to cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before enjoying.

Although it doesn't really state it in the directions above, remember with all baked goods that you want to add the flour close to last and give it a quick high/low, high/low electric whip up, or even hand beat, to avoid overthrashing your dough into thick, tough cookies. Your baked goods will reap all the benefits of this.


For cookies, I really love using my #70 Tablespoon scoop I got from Sur La Table (Williams-Sonoma has a similar one for icecream here.) It is such a good investment - a great multi-tasker too, working really well for melon balls and sorbet scoops. Again, these cookies are being baked on yet another of my well seasoned stones, a round stone from Pampered Chef that has seen many a happy cookie batch. It really helps treats and pizzas, etc. bake perfectly toasty brown every time.


Mmmmm - a really creamy dough with a lil' kick of spice.


Pack in a nice candy box (this one is from Michaels)...

...add a little personal touch inside...


...and outside - and you're set! 

(Ribbon is from Michaels as is the "from the kitchen of" stickers by Martha.)

Final step: Ship off to a loved one to enjoy (but just make sure to save a few back for yourself!) :)