Gluten Free Cranberry and White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

These Gluten Free Cranberry and White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies have a great chewy texture that is soft in the middle. They don't expand like their gluten filled counterparts but they taste just the same! The cranberries make them tart while the white chocolate adds the perfect amount of sweetness, and the peppermint makes these cookies refreshing! They are perfect for the holidays because of their pop of colour, while the cranberries and peppermint give a nice change to the endless sweet treats that seem to be consumed over the holiday season.

I love cookies! Store bought cookies, homemade cookies, old freezer burnt cookies, anything that resembles a small crunchy and chewy circle of chocolatey, sweet goodness; I don't discriminate against cookies. They make a bad day good, and a good day better!When I think of cookies I immediately think of sugar and chocolate filled treats of joy. As far as I am concerned cookies are not healthy and should never have fruit, raisins, or anything besides chocolate in them. Needless to say I was blown away when I first saw a recipe for white chocolate and cranberry cookies. Cranberries and cookies were not okay with me, even though I loved white chocolate coated cranberries this was a recipe for disaster. Except, it wasn't! White chocolate and dried cranberries are the perfect combination in a cookie! These cookies are still packed with the sweet chocolate that I love, but they have a healthy twist that adds amazing flavour and texture. If you have ever had that disappointing moment of biting into a raisin cookie that you mistook for chocolate chips, these cookies will regain your trust in cookies! 

Peppermint has many therapeutic effects. It is commonly used to treat upset stomach, indigestion, and symptoms of IBS. Because of it's ability to calm the stomach, many people consume peppermint after eating a meal in the form of tea or a mint. However, I have read that it is better to consume the peppermint before a large meal rather than after. In the case of these Cranberry Peppermint Chip Cookies I think its perfectly acceptable to consume dinner before dessert, especially on Christmas. Most people enjoy a large Christmas meal, and then have a large dessert following. Everyone is stuffed full of all their favourites and feel completely exhausted while their body digests. If you're like me and wear your stretchiest pants (since pants are necessary for family occasions in most families - or mine anyways) to dinner and still feel full, you are doing Christmas right! Cranberry Peppermint Chip Cookies are refreshing and the perfect treat to calm down that full stomach in between dinner and dessert, or when you are completely done and need something to help your turkey coma.

Even Santa will enjoy these cookies when he stops by with your presents! Peppermint is great for treating headaches and since the big man stays up all night, deals with eight reindeer, has thousands of elves running around, and has to handle the pressure of not disappointing any children around the world, he has to have a killer migraine by the time he gets home. Hopefully these cookies will make him feel a bit better, but with all that pressure its probably best to leave him a bottle of Advil and some rum!

Gluten Free Cranberry and White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

1/2 Cup Softened Butter

1/3 Cup Apple Sauce

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup White Sugar

2 Eggs

2 Tsp Vanilla

2 Cups Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

1 Tsp Baking Soda

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Xanthan Gum

2 Tsp Corn Starch

1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries

1/2 Cup White Chocolate Peppermint Chips

          or

          1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips

          1 Tsp Peppermint Extract

- Combine Butter and Sugar until creamy, add Apple Sauce and Egg and mix well.

- Add Remaining ingredients, but leave out Cranberries and White Chocolate, mix until combined.

- Fold in White Chocolate and Dried Cranberries.

- Place in air tight container and let chill for an hour or more.

- Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.

- Roll dough into one inch balls and press down with a fork on a parchment lined baking sheet. 

- Leave space between cookies so they have room to expand.

- Bake for 8-10 minutes and let cool for 15 minutes on tray before transferring. 

- Makes approx. 30 Cookies