Pecan white chocolate and cranberry cookies

These cookies are crisp on the outside, but yield to a chewy soft centre. Serve with a little slathering of pecan white chocolate spread and you’ve elevated these to a new level of deliciousness.

Credit: Bake With Anna Olson

• makes

  16

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

An alternative to chocolate hazelnut spread, the white chocolate spread is sweet and decadent! Trying spreading it on French toast or pancakes, or frost sticky buns with it. For a fun option (perfect for a toasted bagel), beat ½ cup (125 ml) of this spread into ½ cup (125 ml) of softened cream cheese.

Ingredients

Pecan white chocolate spread

• 1½ cups (150 g) toasted pecans
• ½ cup (100 g) packed dark brown sugar
• ½ cup (65 g) icing sugar
• 90 g (3 oz) white chocolate, chopped
• 3 tsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
• 2 tsp (10 ml) fancy molasses (see Note)
• ½ tsp (2.5 g)  salt
• ½ tsp (1.5 g) ground cinnamon

Biscuits

• ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3 tsp (15 ml) honey
• 1 tsp (5 m) vanilla extract
• ¾ cup (110 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
• ½ tsp (2.5 g) baking soda
• ½ tsp (1.5 g) ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp (1.5 g) ground ginger
• ¼ tsp (1 g) ground cloves
• ¼ tsp (1 g) salt
• ¾ cup (75 g) chopped, lightly toasted pecans
• ½ cup (80 g) white chocolate chips
• ½ cup (70 g) dried cranberries

Instructions

1. For the spread, pulse the pecans with the brown sugar and icing sugar until the pecans are finely ground.  Add the white chocolate, oil, molasses, salt and cinnamon and pulse until a smooth paste (it will be quite fluid). The spread can be refrigerated for 2 hours to set it but can then be stored in a jar at room temperature for up to 2 months.

2. For the cookies, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).  Grease a 23 cm (9 inch) fluted removable bottom tart pan.

3. Cream the butter and sugar by hand until smooth. Beat in the egg yolks, followed by the honey and vanilla. Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt and stir this into the butter mixture. Stir in the pecans, chocolate chips and cranberries. Spoon this into the prepared pan and press down until level, dipping your hands in flour to keep them from sticking as you do so.

4. Bake this for 14 to 16 minutes, until an even golden brown on top. Cool the pan on a rack completely before slicing into wedges.

5. Serve the cookies with pecan white chocolate spread.

Note

• Fancy molasses is lighter and sweeter than standard molasses. Honey or golden syrup can be used instead.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

An alternative to chocolate hazelnut spread, the white chocolate spread is sweet and decadent! Trying spreading it on French toast or pancakes, or frost sticky buns with it. For a fun option (perfect for a toasted bagel), beat ½ cup (125 ml) of this spread into ½ cup (125 ml) of softened cream cheese.