Today is A Hint of Honey’s first Birthday! We made through a full year! I meant to celebrate today with cake, but the cake I baked didn’t turn out as grand as I’d hoped. I made a towering-tall red velvet cake. It was pretty with fluffy white frosting and a deep scarlet middle. It tasted much like I imagined red velvet cake would (it was my first try), but I just wasn’t thrilled with the result. It seemed a little dry and the frosting wasn’t the perfect match. Maybe it was the recipe, probably it was me. Anyhow, today we’ll be without a birthday cake. So instead, I have a different treat to share with you: white chocolate, cranberry, and macadamia nut cookies. Still worth celebrating! I feel obliged to make some soft of birthday speech. A toast to a full year of memorable meals, delectable desserts, mounds of dishes, and millions of messes. To food-spattered cookbooks (and computers and cameras), frustrating photo shoots, and friends and family who shared it all with me. To Dustin, for his patience and encouragement. To my readers, for making this so much fun! Happy 1!

White Chocolate, Cranberry, and Macadamia Nut Cookies

INGREDIENTS

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips, coarsely chopped
1 cup salted macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease or line two large baking sheets.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add sugars and beat until blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla.

3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and beat until just blended. Stir in the chocolate, cranberries, and macadamia nuts with a spatula.

4. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Baked in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack. Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or frozen for several weeks.

Makes 48 cookies.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit)