IMBB #10: Cookie Swap!

Now, let's see if we can come up with another reason for me to bake cookies... hmm, that's a tough one since I don't like to bake. Wait. What am I saying! Heresy!

To atone for my sins, I chose to make Cashew-Macadamia Butter Cookies (with White Chocolate Chunks and Cranberries). I know that this second name sounds like a mouthful, and let me assure you that they are a great tasting one!
White chocolate macadamia nut cookies are one of my favorites, though I'm usually disappointed by these cookies when I have them out. Essentially, these are peanut butter cookies where I substituted the peanut butter with Cashew-Macadamia Butter, which I spotted at Trader Joes. Dressed up peanut butter cookies invloving macadamia nuts?, I thought to myself. I must have started to drool at the idea, because people started to stare. I grabbed the butter (paid for it) and headed home. If I were making these in the summer, I might toss in some coconut instead of the cranberries, and maybe some chopped acadamia nuts, too. Here, though, I think that the cranberries give it a nice tang and a holiday feel.

And, of course, here is the recipe so Santa can make these himself when he gets home.

Cashew-Macadamia Butter Cookies

(with White Chocolate Chunks and Cranberries)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup Cashew-Macadamia Butter
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (both types of butter I used were unsalted)
1 heaping cup white chocolate chips/chunks
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 375 F.
Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugars and cashew butter and beat until well combined.
Add eggs one at a time and beat until well incorporated.
Stir in flour mixture by hand, then add white chocolate and cranberries.
Drop by tablespoonfulls (and flatten them somewhat) onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, until cookies just begin to brown at edges.

And finally, pour yourself a glass of milk and enjoy! Don't forget to save some for Santa, though.