Bake, Run, Live

Here is day 9 of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies!

Here is a quick and easy cookie recipe that can be changed to suit your tastes! It’s a simple shortbread dough that just started off with mini chocolate chips in it. Chocolate and fruit work well together, so I added cherry flavored Craisins. I like the little bit of chewiness that the dried fruit gives- along with the taste! If you don’t care for dried fruit, you could always add chopped nuts!

Chocolate Cherry Craisin Cookies
Recipe adapted from Very Best Baking

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour
1 1/4 cups mini chocolate chips
3/4 cup Cherry Craisins, chopped
Additional powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Stir in the vanilla bean paste and salt. Add in the flour and mix until well combined. Stir in the mini chocolate chips and the cherry craisins.

Using a medium-sized ice cream scoop, scoop out the dough. Place onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, leaving about an inch between cookies (they don’t spread). Lightly flatten the cookies with the palm of your hand. Bake in a preheated oven for 14-15 minutes, or until the edges are a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, move the cookies onto cooling racks and cool completely. Dust the tops of the cookies with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Made with love, not calories!