itaintprettybutittastesgood

Summary

Nathan,

These are fun and easy cookies to capture the holiday spirit and can all be made in one bowl so that is a bonus! I started with these cookies for your first Christmas. I wanted you to have a tradition that wasn’t gift based to share with others as well as to capture the Christmas spirit. I had a lot of fun making these with you. You were strapped to my chest and I just got to dance and sing Christmas songs with you. You smiled the whole time. Please share them with all your loved ones and know that every moment of my life I have been the happiest just being with you and your father. I love you dearly.

Mom

P.S.

Ok one more thing if you want to add other spices go for it! It would be so much fun for you to make these just a little more your own if you want. Over the years I will be doing the same thing but I am thinking Nutmeg and Cinnamon and Clove would bring in the warmth this holiday makes me feel. Just a thought!!

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• ¾ cups softened butter (just leave it on the counter a day before)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 12oz fresh cranberries (you can use frozen too!)

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and set out your baking trays with a silicone baking sheet and your wire racks for cooling
• With a mixer (you can use my stand mixer; either one will work for this) beat the eggs and sugar until slightly thickened and light in color (like 5-7 min, you can put it on the 2 setting and walk away and gather the rest of the ingredients while it is going). The egg and sugar mixture will almost double in size and should form a ribbon when you lift the beaters (remember when I showed you how to make a figure 8 by lifting the beaters with some of the batter on it and you should be able to still see the "ribbon" before it incorporates back with the rest of the mixture)
• Add softened butter, vanilla, and salt to the egg/sugar mixture and mix well for 2 more min. This does not have to be extremely smooth by any means. There will still be small bits of butter that will not completely go away and that is a good thing.
• Stir in flour until just combined (don’t over mix)
• Stir in whole cranberries (they will piece a little with the mixer but that just makes it fun)
• Scoop onto a silicone baking sheet and bake for 18 min.
• When finished place on a wire rack for cooling (this will also help the cookies harden a little more so that they don’t break apart when you dive right in and eat them all)