A Classic Cookie Flavor

These cranberry white chocolate chip cookies are based on my white chocolate macadamia cookies, which are a classic and well-loved recipe. This version changes it up a bit and adds dried cranberries for a little holiday twist. While cranberries are delicious all year long, they seem very Christmas-y to me. I love the deep flavor from the brown sugar in these cookies with the pop of sweet and tart from the white chocolate and cranberries. It’s a delicious combination that definitely deserves a spot on your cookie tray.

Why You’ll Love These Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

• Soft and chewy. These cranberry white chocolate chip cookies have the PERFECT level of chewiness to them. They’re just a little crisp and golden on the outside but the inside is super soft and chewy. So perfect!
• Made with pantry staples. Beyond the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries, the rest of the ingredients in this cookie recipe are probably already in your pantry. Perfect for whipping up anytime.
• Easy! The dough comes together in just a few minutes and requires nothing more than a mixer, bowl, and spatula. They bake up in just 8 minutes too!
• Make the dough ahead. The dough in this recipe does need to chill for a few hours, so I like to make it a night in advance. Just pull it from the fridge an hour or so before baking.

If you love cranberry + white chocolate together, be sure to check out my cranberry bliss bars and white chocolate dipped cranberry oatmeal cookies!

No Spread Chocolate Cut Out Cookies

I absolutely love cut out cookies for the holidays! The last longer through the season when you decorate them, which is perfect for gifting. They are great for pretty much any occasion, but there’s no doubt that Christmas is the top spot on the list. I already have two great options for vanilla cutout cookies – my original cutout sugar cookies and my newer soft and chewy cut out cookies. But it was time for some chocolate to change it up! I married the second of those two cut out cookies with my recipe for chocolate sugar cookies that are drop-style and came up with this amazing recipe.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

• Soft & chewy. This recipe makes thick, tender cookies have that perfect soft and chewy texture. Exactly what I want from any sugar cookie.
• Quick & easy. The dough takes just a few minutes to prepare and they bake up in 8-12 minutes. I do recommend at least an hour of chill time, to make the cookie dough easier to roll and cut, or you can even make the dough up to 3 days in advance.
• Perfect for decorating. I’ve included lots of decorating ideas below and there are endless ways to decorate these cookies. Not to mention decorating them is a fun way to get kids involved in the kitchen!

Why You’ll Love This Baklava Cheesecake Recipe

Baklava is one of those desserts that I didn’t grow up on but as an adult, I’m definitely a fan. I tried it for the first time several years ago and fell in love. The honey and cinnamon are totally up my alley. Since then, I’ve used it as inspiration for a few different desserts, such as my baklava poke cake and this baklava cheesecake. Here are a few reasons why I think you’ll love this just as much as I do.

• Combination of two great desserts. This recipe is truly a marriage of a classic cheesecake and Greek baklava. The filling is your standard cheesecake filling with a twist so you have that creamy, tangy filling balanced out by the honey, walnuts, and phyllo dough from the baklava.
• Phyllo dough crust. This cheesecake begins with a phyllo dough crust. It’s used in traditional baklava so I thought it’d be fun to incorporate it here and give it more of the traditional flavor and texture. Plus, having it stick up over the edges of the cheesecake is kinda nifty and pretty.
• Walnut filling & topping. The cheesecake’s filling is your standard cheesecake with a baklava walnut filling in the middle. It’s a simple mixture of walnuts, cinnamon, melted butter, and honey, all tossed together and added to the middle of the cheesecake. It’s also added on top to finish off the dessert. So much great flavor in here!

Why You’ll Love This Cake

Have you ever noticed that cake makes almost everything better? When it comes to fall, this cake definitely makes it even better – and tastier. There are just so many things to love about it. Trust me — this cake has a few steps, but they’re worth it for the end result.

• Super moist chocolate cake. This cake starts out with my favorite moist chocolate cake. It’s the most tender, delicious chocolate cake ever, and it stays moist for daaaaaays. No joke.
• Creamy pumpkin cheesecake. The pumpkin cheesecake rocks. It’s the same as my classic pumpkin cheesecake, without a crust. You’ll bake it in a simple water bath to make a rich and creamy, pumpkin spiced layer for the center of the cake.
• Whipped chocolate cream cheese frosting. It doesn’t get any better than this frosting! It’s made with cream cheese and whipped cream so it pairs beautifully with the cheesecake and has a light, fluffy texture. So tasty!
• Easier than it looks. Seriously, while the directions might look complicated at first glance, this cake really isn’t that hard to make. The cake and cheesecake layers are nice and solid, so they stack easily without the use of a springform pan. Just stack them with thin layers of frosting to hold them together. Easy peasy!

Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Orange Cheesecake

This flavor of this cheesecake is nothing short of amazing! It’s so much better than you’d even expect. It was a HUGE hit with everyone. Even the hubs, who initially turned it down and then decided to try it, loved it. Within a few hours, he’d had 3 slices! Here’s a few more reasons you should give it a try.

• Perfect combo of flavors. If you like cranberry and orange together, you will LOVE this cheesecake. The fresh orange flavor of the cheesecake and whipped cream pairs so beautifully with the lightly tart and sweet cranberry topping. Just the right balance of bright, sweet and tart!
• Easy to make. There a number of steps, but they aren’t hard. You make the crust, the filling, and the cranberry topping. At the end, you’ll whip together the whipped cream and sparkling cranberries. The best part is you don’t have to turn on your oven!
• Fun and festive. The bright orange and cranberry reds of this cheesecake, along with the sparkling cranberries, truly make this dessert a showstopper worthy of the holidays. Whether it adorns your Thanksgiving table or comes along to a party, it’s sure to wow everyone.

For more cranberry orange recipes, check out my cranberry orange layer cake.