Slice and bake cookies

This is one of those great time saver recipes, one recipe that make two kinds of cookies, or really as many combinations as you like. I made half mms cookies and half cranberry pistachio, but the recipe would divide well into four for maybe a choc chip version and some cinnamon cookies, so many possibilities. Plus make the cookie dough a day ahead  and it can sit in your fridge ready to slice and bake cookies as you need them. There's nothing that says Christmas more than the smell of baked goods wafting from a house, prepare the dough ahead of time and cut and bake fresh cookies for your friends.

For the Cookies (makes 40)
250 grams butter (softened)

1 1/4 cups icing sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/3 cups plain flour

1/2 cup cornflour

2 tablespoons milk

150 grams red and green mms
red and green sanding sugar

1/4 cups dried cranberries (chopped)

1/4 cup pistachios (chopped)

To make the cookies- preheat oven to 160 degrees c.

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. 

Stir in flours in two parts, followed but the milk until dough comes together. 

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half.

Add the mms to one half of the mix and kneed lightly until the dough is smooth.

Spread a mixture or red and green sanding sugar onto a tray and roll the mms log of cookie dough to coat.

Kneed the cranberries and pistachios into the second half of dough.

Roll each half of dough into a 25 cm long log and wrap in cling wrap. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least an hour, until firm.

Cut each length of dough in to 1cm thick disks and lay flat on a lined baking tray about 3cms apart.

Bake the cookies for roughly 20 minutes. Cool cookies on wire racks.

White Chocolate, Cranberry and Macadamia Cookies

Cookies are high on my list of home made Christmas gifts, they're quick and easy to make and look great packaged up in cute boxes or bags. You'll be seeing a number of cookie recipes over the next couple of weeks as I make them for everyone I can think to give them too.

I love white chocchip cookies, well white chocolate anything really, and these giant cookies are no exception. With macadamia nuts thrown in for a tasty crunch and some cranberries for festive flavour and colour, I think these will be a yummy addition to this years cookie gift boxes.

Oversized White Chocolate, Cranberry and Macadamia Cookies
185 grams butter (melted and cooled)
150 grams white chocolate chips
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup unsalted macadamia nuts (roughly chopped)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup plain flour
1 egg
1 egg yolk

To make the cookies- Preheat oven to 180 degrees c. and line 3 large trays with baking paper.

Add the sugars into a large mixing bowl, sift and both flours and mix together.

Add the eggs and the melted butter to a small bowl and beat together lightly.

Stir the butter and egg mixture into the flour mixture to form a soft dough.

Add the chocolate chips, nuts and cranberries and stir through.

scoop out heaped tablespoons on cookie dough and roll into balls. Place the balls about 3 inches/ 8cm apart to allow for spreading and flatten down.

Bake the cookies for roughly 12 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on trays.