December is the most notorious month on the calendar. It’s both cheerful and stressful: full of parties, shopping, tree-lighting ceremonies . The television blah-blahs about kisses beginning with K and finding meaning inside (wherever that is), and if you read magazines, well, then you feel like you should be baking Christmas cookies, no matter what you celebrate.

And really, that’s great. Because sure, I like to bake and I like to look at tinsel and enjoy Christmas markets in the city. Any city! And one would think that I would use any excuse in the book to churn out batch after batch of the holiday cookies splashed all over the front page of Martha Stewart Living.

But for some reason, not this year. I’ve opened Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day about eight times in the past week and none of the recipes that used to leave my drooling have inspired me. And while I suppose they’re still drool-worthy, the idea of actually preparing them sounds utterly too time consuming and impossible.

So I’ve been sticking to simple things. Turkey meatballs, the occasional sandwich and salads. I did muster up the motivation to give these big chewy cookies a try because with tart cranberries and smooth white chocolate chips – I figured they’d be worth it in the end. Even if I had to do extra dishes.

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or grated peel of 1 orange
3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. Combine, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small bowl.

3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats, cranberries, and white chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

4. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 1 – 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.