Pairings in Paso: Holiday Cookies paired with Cinnamon Milk

by Tina Swithin

I am dusting off my oven mitts and getting ready to kick off the holiday season in style- with cookies, of course!  While searching for the very best holiday recipes in Paso Robles, I stumbled upon a recipe which is sure to delight the season's toughest critic: good old, St. Nick!  

Some of my favorite local recipes just so happen to be found in the recipe archive at We Olive and this one is no exception.  This is a great recipe for your Thanksgiving Day dessert tray and I highly recommend another batch in December for Santa! 

 

We Olive's Cranberry Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Emily Davis: I adapted this standard chocolate chip cookie recipe, converting the butter to olive oil (typically you can substitute 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil for a 1/2 cup of butter). Then I added some texture and flavor to the cookie with cranberries, coconut, and We Olive’s Blood Orange Olive Oil. The results are a soft chewy, delicious cookie…perfect for sustaining Santa’s sleigh ride on Christmas Eve!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Blood Orange Olive Oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup shredded coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
3. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the olive oil and sugar with an electric mixer until well incorporated, about 1 minute. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips, cranberries, and coconut until incorporated. Drop by the tablespoonful onto prepared cookies sheets, about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies onto wire racks to cool.

Tina's suggested pairing: Warm Cinnamon Milk
Ingredients:
1 cup of regular, almond or soy milk (Vanilla favor)
Cinnamon stick
Honey

Directions:
Heat milk in saucepan over medium heat. Be careful so it doesn't boil over.
Place a cinnamon stick into your cup or a teaspoon of cinnamon.
Pour milk into cup, cover and let sit for 5-7 minutes. Add honey to sweeten.

Tina Swithin is the Marketing Coordinator and Blog Manager for TravelPaso.com where she writes blog-a-licious articles about everything 'Paso Robles'.  Follow the Paso Robles Insider to get the inside scoop on all the haps in Paso Robles Wine Country.