Christmas is for cookies and brownies and other luscious sweets. In my house this has traditionally meant all different kinds of cookies, but none were ever really a true Christmas tradition. None were seasonal, none were specific to the holidays and I suppose most of all, none were mine.
This year I set out to remedy that and to do something that I absolutely never do. I stepped out of my comfort zone completely and modified a cookie recipe to reflect what my kids love to eat and to enhance the flavors that I like.
I was terrified. I was uneasy. I was sure it wouldn’t work, because I’m a cook, not a baker and i was sure to screw this up.
I didn’t. It was wonderful! The cookies were perfect, tasty, sweet, tangy and speckled with tiny glimpses of cranberry and white chocolate.
This is a modified version of my wife’s famous Cowboy Cookie recipe, but with a few twists however, a cowboy cookie has a traditional set of ingredients. This recipe is no longer a cowboy cookie by definition, so I decided in the spirit of the season to dub these “Reindeer Wranglers”, both because the tiny speckles of cranberry reminded me of Rudolph’s nose and because I figured that Santa’s reindeer crew would probably enjoy these a great deal.
Now our family has its very own Christmas cookie tradition, invented in our own kitchen and made with love. It makes me happier than it should, I think.
What are your Christmas cookie traditions? Is there anything that jut HAS to be baked every year? We’d love to hear about it.
Reindeer Wrangler Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 6 oz. white chocolate morsels
- 3/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries
- 3/4 cup shredded coconut
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Cream shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar with a hand mixer or electric stand mixer. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until well blended. Mix in flour, baking soda salt and baking powder.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Dough will be thick! (If using a stand mixer, you may want to switch to a dough hook at this point.)
- Spoon cookie mixture onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until bottom edge of cookie is golden.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
32Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 198Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 68mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 2g
What I would have done differently had I thought of it at the time:
My kids declared these the best cookies I have ever made. I’m not here to argue with that, just to bask in the glory of a job well done…. And try not to sneak another cookie.
Links to other recipes like this:
- Red Sox Cowboy Up Cookies from megnut.
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from Who Wants seconds?
These sound delish, love the addition of dried cranberries but I would probably go for milk chocolate chips instead of the white chocolate because that’s just the way I roll. Great post.
Great sounding cookie. I love adding dried cranberries into my baking things whenever I see the opportunity.
Things I must make each hoiday which I think I’d be shot by my family if I didn’t would be:
I used to bake tons of cookies every year but somewhere along the line I started making candy and slowly the cookies took a back seat to the candy making.
These candies are made every year even if this is all that gets made. My fudge which is from a small cookbook I bought years ago by the cash register while waiting to check out. This stuff is amazingly simple, absolutely no one can mess it up and it’s super quick:
Peppermint Swirl Fudge
Peanut butter fudge
Chocolate Fudge
If I do make cookies which I didn’t this year for a few reasons, I MUST make my two favorites; One being cut out sugar cookieswith colored icing and Rosettes.
I’ll have to try your recipe now too. Thank you.
Reindeer Wranglers! I LOVE IT,Jerry. Seriously LOVE IT! I am a ginourmous fan of reindeer! I am so making these next year!!! I just started my own cookie tradition this year too! Here are a few:
Yule Log Cookie (at the end of post) http://www.leftoverqueen.com/2009/12/22/norwegian-inspired-winter-solstice-dinner
New and improved holiday cookies: http://www.leftoverqueen.com/2009/12/18/holiday-cookies-apricot-coconut-balls-and-egg-nog-cookies
@Karen,
My kids love white chocolate chips. That’s why they’re in there :)
@VickiT,
Gotta have traditions. If I don’t make my aunt’s tea cookies, I’ll be disowned!
@Jenn,
New traditions Rock!
Oh my I really have to try your recipe. Yum!!!
Ooo, I love baking cookies at the holidays. These will be a welcome addition to the collection I usually make!