Grinch Cookies (Craisin, Chocolate Chip & Pistachio)

id="recipetitle"class="fn">Grinch Cookies (Craisin, Chocolate Chip & Pistachio)

*Jinelle told me to call these "Grinch Cookies" so that is what I've done!*

Tonight was another epic baking night. It would appear that Penn West is much more into celebrating Christmas than Nexen was as I have received Christmas presents from colleagues left, right and center. At Nexen I was lucky if I got a $10 Tim card from the boss. Thus far at Penn West I have acquired a poinsettia, a box of chocolates, a Purdy's chocolate Santa and $30 worth of Starbucks gift cards. Feeling like a cheap ass, I thought I better bust out the skills and put together some baked goods as gifts.

Make sure to try out new recipes when the people doing the eating aren't critical, such as colleagues. Because guess what, even if it's underwhelming you're still going to have a job on Monday. Luckily though, this recipe which I put together by grabbing ideas from several sources, turned out beautifully. Which is hardly surprising.

The green color of these really gets the people going.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (3.4 ounces) pistachio flavoured instant pudding mix
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


DIRECTIONS

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter and sugar together in stand-up mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix until well blended. Add the milk and vanilla extract.

2) Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pudding mix in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to the mixer in three parts (simply to avoid covering the kitchen in the flour mixture).

3) Stir in craisins and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet (I sprayed mine with Pam just to be safe or you could use parchment). Bake 10-12 minutes or until just lightly browned on the bottom. Remove from the pan right away and cool on a wire rack.

Look at my cute little gifts. I also threw some shortbread cookies in there for good measure.