I say it every year, but I guess I will repeat myself once again. I cannot believe that the holiday season is nearly upon us again. It feels like we were just basking in the warmth of summer only a few days ago, but somehow here we are in mid-November. And my absolute favorite holiday is mere days away. To say I am excited is an understatement. A holiday that centers around family and food? I’m obviously a huge fan. But before the excitement of Thanksgiving and Christmas descends, I thought I would share a simple cookie recipe that is easy enough to make on a random weeknight. I found a version of this recipe in a Better Homes and Garden magazine, and after quite a few substitutions and tweaks I’ve come up with a subtly sweet maple flavored cookie. I used dried cranberries & raisins for a bit of added flavor, but you could add in any “mix-in” of your choosing. Dark chocolate chips or toasted pecans are sure to be another great accent to the deep maple flavor of the batter. So get creative and enjoy!
Ingredients: Makes 3 dozen cookies
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup raisins
Preparation:
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together until light and creamy
- Beat in next 4 ingredients (baking soda through cinnamon)
- Beat in eggs, one at a time
- Stir in maple extract
- Beat in flour until just combined
- Stir in dried cranberries & raisins
- Scoop tablespoons of dough onto a greased cookie sheet
- Bake at 350 for 15 to 18 minutes
