Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies! A Christmassy Nigella recipe...

These are a perfect Christmassy cookie (or an all year round cookie, they are equally as yummy no matter what time of year you eat them!), it is taken from Nigella Lawson's Christmas cookery book. I haven't always managed to make great cookies, they sometimes go too flat, or merge together and generally end up a bit of a mess! However, these didn't! I'm pretty certain it's the way you make them into small ish dough balls and spread them apart on the baking tray (see further below!) I took a couple round for my grandparents to try and now they mention them every time I see them!

Makes 8-10 (or even more, depending on the size you make them!) (Nigella makes small ones and says that this recipes will make 30)

150g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

75g rolled oats (not instant)

125g soft butter

75g dark brown sugar

100g caster sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

75g dried cranberries

50g pecans, roughly chopped (I left this part out as I think they are better without the nuts but add them by all means!)

150g white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

Measure out the flour, baking powder, salt and rolled oats and combine together in a bowl.

Mix the butter and sugars together in a bowl and mix well until creamy. An electric mixer helps here if you're able to get hold of one but a bit of elbow grease will go a long way!

Beat the flour, baking powder, salt and oat mixture into the butter mixture.


Then fold in the cranberries, optional chopped pecans and white choc chips.

Roll tablespoons of dough into balls with your hands* then place them onto the baking tray and squish the dough balls down with a fork.

*This is the first time I've tried doing it this way and it is the best way. I have tried so many cookie recipes and completely failed when they've cooked as they normally turn out flat and join together! Nigella's way of cooking them is definitely the easiest way to get nice looking cookies. Also spread them out on a baking tray, I ended up using two trays for fear of siamese cookies!!

Cook for 15 minutes. They are ready when coloured nicely! Leave to cool slightly then peel off the tray and leave to cool and harden fully on a wire rack.