December 8, 2010


Today’s Washington Post Food section includes their annual holiday cookie issue. I’m thrilled to be included this year with three recipes! Here’s the complete list and all their wonderful recipes.

You’ll recognize the Little Apricot Confections, but this White Chocolate, Cherry, Pistachio Chunker, or Dunker, as Gail says, is a brand new recipe.  Also included, a Spicy Cheddar Thumbprint, one of my favorite “cocktail cookies.”

These are easy cookies. I made them last night in about 30 minutes, then froze them, in bake-able balls, overnight, before baking them in just a few minutes this morning. I don’t consider these “cookie box” cookies – they’re a little too big and fragile to pack and ship – but they are easy to whip up at a moment’s notice and always please the crowd.

[print_this]
White Chocolate, Cherry, Pistachio Chunkers
I created this recipe after falling in love with David Leibovitz’ scones with white chocolate and dried sour cherries.
Makes 30 2″ cookies

1-1/2 c AP flour
1/2 c oat flour
1 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1 t salt
12 Tbls unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c white sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
10 oz white chocolate chips
1 c dried sour cherries, chopped
1 c pistachios

Whisk together the first five ingredients.
Cream together the butter and sugars.
Add eggs one at a time until incorporated. Add vanilla.
Beat in the flour on a low speed.
Mix in the chocolate, cherries and nuts.

Form the dough into balls the size of a golf ball. Freeze* the dough for one hour, or refrigerate overnight.

Place 12 of the cookie dough balls on a parchment or Silpat lined cookie sheet.
Preheat the oven to 350° and bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes until just beginning to turn golden.
Cool on the cookie sheet, on a rack.

These cookies will keep, stacked between layers of wax paper, for about four days.

*Once frozen, store the cookie dough balls in a freezer bag for warm cookies anytime. Bake frozen dough 15 min. at 350°.[/print_this]

13 Responses to “white chocolate, cherry, pistachio chunkers – the washington post holiday cookie section”

  1. Jen

    Congratulations! I don’t think I’ve ever made a savory cookie, but your recipe for spicy cheddar thumbprints sounds delicious. I also love any cookie with dried cherries. I made biscotti with them earlier this week, and I’ve broken more than a few cookies apart so I could eat the pieces with cherries in them!

    Reply
  2. K

    Made the white chocolate cherry pistachio chunkers yesterday, absolutely yummy. Having the dough very chilled made it easy. It was a chore, keeping my husband from sneaking that 3rd cookie. Plan to make the spicy thumb prints.

    Reply
  3. Sarah

    I’m just curious… Your recipe said to store up to 4 days in an air tight container. Is that at room temp or in the fridge?

    I want to make sure they last long enough for people.

    Thanks so much. 🙂

    Reply
    • Cathy

      I store my cookies in the garage! It’s about 40° in there at this time of year. I think they would be fine on the counter, as long as the container is airtight, and you’ve layered the cookies between wax paper.

      Reply
      • Esther Bailey

        The washington post made a boo-boo on the ingredients list. They called for “8 tablespoons (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature” I was not sure what to do with that info, but having your blog address sure helped.

        Reply
  4. B.N. Frank

    Could you please clarify what is “AP flour”? What does the “AP” stand for? I’d like to make these “chunkers” cookies but am not sure if I can obtain that brand of flour here in NJ. Thanks!

    Reply

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