Macadamia Nut Cranberry Shortbread Recipes

WHITE CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY MACADAMIA SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl (mix together until creamy.)
• Add flour 1 cup at a time until all of the flour is well incorporated with the butter and sugar. TIP: hang a kitchen towel over the bowl to catch the flour spitting out so it doesn't get on your counter tops and floor.
• Mix in white chocolate, cranberries and macadamia nuts. The dough will be very thick as shown.
• Form 1 1/2 inch balls (flatten them if you wish) and place them on cookies sheets. NOTE: These cookies do not expand so you can place them about one inch apart.
• Bake for 10 minutes (for moist center) or until you see the edges turning brown. Cook 12 minutes if you like a harder shortbread cookie.
• Let cool on cookie racks and store in air tight containers.

CRANBERRY-MACADAMIA BARS

Steps:

• Blend cookie mix, 1/3 cup butter and egg until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of greased 9-inch square pan. Bake at 350°F 15 minutes.
• Heat 1/3 cup butter, brown sugar and cranberries over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Spoon and spread cranberry mixture evenly over partially baked cookie base. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely.
• In resealable freezer plastic bag, mix baking chips and oil; seal bag. Microwave on High 30 to 45 seconds, squeezing mixture in bag every 15 seconds until smooth. Cut 1/4-inch top from corner of bag; drizzle over bars.

MACADAMIA NUT CRANBERRY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with parchment paper; set aside.
• In a large bowl stir together the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Coarsely shred the butter over the flour mixture. Toss in with a fork. Use your fingers to gently massage the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal and the mixture sticks together when squeezed between your fingers.
• Add the nuts, baking pieces, and cranberries and stir lightly to mix. Transfer to the prepared baking pan and press evenly. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove and cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours.
• Remove from pan and cut into bars. Cover and store shortbread in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (or in the freezer for 3 months). Candied Cranberries
• In a large saucepan combine the grapefruit juice, cranberry juice, 3 cups sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon, zest, and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Remove and allow to cool until warm but not hot, about minutes.
• Add the cranberries to the mixture and stir. Let stand until room temperature. Transfer to a bowl; cover and chill overnight.
• Drain cranberries well, reserving syrup and vanilla bean. Cover and chill the syrup with the vanilla bean for up to 3 weeks. Remove 1/2 (about 2 cups) of the cranberries. Toss with 1/4 cup red decorating sugar. Toss remaining cranberries with the 1/4 cup white sugar.
• Spread the cranberries out in a parchment paper-lined shallow baking pan, keeping the colors separate. Let stand for 1 hour to dry. Store loosely covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA CRANBERRY DREAMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Cream together white sugar, light brown sugar and butter (do not use shortening). Stir in slightly beaten eggs and vanilla.
• Add flour mixture until just mixed. Stir in vanilla chips, macadamia nuts and dried cranberries.
• Drop dough on an ungreased cookie sheet by small scoop or rounded teaspoon. Bake in preheated oven until cookies are just set, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Cookies will sink slightly.
• Variations: To make chocolate cookies, omit 1/2 cup flour and replace with 1/2 cup cocoa. To make refrigerator cookies: Roll dough into 2 rolls, wrap with plastic wrap and chill or freeze. (If you freeze the dough, thaw for at least 1/2 hour before cutting). Slice 1-inch slices; cut into 4 and place on baking sheet point up. For fancier cookies: Drizzle melted white chocolate on chocolate cookies and melted dark chocolate on the white cookie. Enjoy!

WHITE CHOCOLATE, CRANBERRY, AND MACADAMIA NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift first 3 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add both sugars and beat until blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat just until blended. Using spatula, stir in cranberries, white chocolate chips, and nuts.
• For large cookies, drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, spacing 21/2 inches apart. For small cookies, drop dough by level tablespoonfuls onto sheets, spacing 11/2 inches apart.
• Bake cookies until just golden, about 18 minutes for large cookies and about 15 minutes for small cookies. Cool on sheets. Do ahead Can be made ahead. Store airtight at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.