Kitchen Gadgets and Merry Cranberry Cookies

Recipe for Merry Cranberry Cookies from Very Best Baking.

Those of you who know me are probably already aware of the fact that I absolutely LOVE to bake. I don't know what it is about conjuring up a delicious batch of yummy, mouthwatering cookies - or a batch of moist, delicious muffins - that completely brings me happiness and peace, but baking has always been an incredible stress reliever for me. Maybe it's the smile of satisfaction that the fruits of my labor bring to the partaker's face that allows me to enjoy the process so wholeheartedly. :)

Well, since today is Thankful Thursday, I want to express my gratitude for the little kitchen gadgets that make my love for baking all the more enjoyable. I know I mentioned recently that I have been baking a plethora of Christmas goodies - and today, I've finally finished the last set of cookies. Whew! I tell ya, I was a little baking machine today. Among the goodies that I made today are one of my family's holiday favorites: Merry Cranberry Cookies. Anyway, I usually just use a large spoon to scoop out dough in estimated amounts to roll into balls when I make these cookies, but I recently discovered a fun, new gadget that has changed my life completely.

Okay, so don't laugh at me, but the gadget I am referring to is a cookie dough scooper. I know that they have been around for forever, but I just bucked down a few days ago and made the decision to spend the whole $10 (at Walmart) to buy one - and can I just say that it was the best $10 I've EVER spent! I know that using a regular tablespoon for the dough-scooping process is not rocket science, but man, did the scooper make it SO much easier! And, all of the balls came out darn near identical. It was so much fun to scoop the little dough balls out too.

I {heart} my new cookie dough scooper! :)

Anyway, I know that talking about these yummy treats has made you all hungry. Hehe. So, here is the recipe that I procured a few years ago for these mouth-watering, little cookies:

Merry Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients

1. 1 1/4 cups (about 1/3 tub) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Tub Dough, slightly softened (I actually made the sugar cookie dough myself).
2. 1/3 to 1/2 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels (I used Ghiradelli and they were delish)
3. 1/3 to 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 325º F. 

STIR morsels and cranberries into cookie dough. Refrigerate for 15 minutes for easier handling. Roll dough into 18, 1 1/4-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. 

BAKE for 14 to 16 minutes or until edges are set but centers are still soft. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. 

TIPS: 

• Drizzle Merry Cranberry Cookies with melted NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels. 

• Recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for a larger batch.