Mom's Test Kitchen

Get Your Chef On ~ Cranberries

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So first off, let me just take a minute to gloat before I have to pass on my GYCO Crown to the next winner!  If you missed my Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Stuffed Cupcakes, you seriously need to go check them out.  They pretty much kick boot-tay!
 
Ok so, moving on.  I was so excited for this round of GYCO.  I got the dates wrong on when the secret ingredient was going to be revealed so I waited impatiently for a week to see what ingredient I was going to get to use to make my next prize winning dish.  And then it happened.  Those two evil ladies conspired against me & had to pick the damn holiday berry!
 

 
 
In case the evil or the damn didn’t give it away, I’m not a fan of cranberries.  But just actual cranberries.  You can set a can of jellied cranberry sauce in front of me & I’ll eat the whole thing.  I’ll drink cranberry juice without hesitation.  You fix true cranberry sauce made with whole cranberries, I won’t touch it.
 
Hi, my name is Jaime & I have some crazy texture eating issues.
 

 
 
But I put my big girl panties on and I got to work.  I searched & searched for recipe ideas.  From my searching I learned that quite a few people like cranberries in their cookies.  I knew I wanted to do a dessert again but I didn’t want to go with just a standard cookie so I put my thinking cap on & came up with a holiday whoopie pie!
 
Oh and Julie & Jenn aren’t really evil.  I
for now, we’ll see what happens when they reveal the next secret ingredient, lets be sure to steer clear of blue cheese please ladies ðŸ˜‰
 

 


ALMOND WHOOPIE PIES WITH CRANBERRY BUTTERCREAM
INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 box (18.25 ounces) white cake mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
 
CRANBERRY BUTTERCREAM:
  • 1/2 cup cranberry juice
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
  • 3/4 cup butter flavored shortening
  • 2 pounds powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


LETS COOK:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, water, butter & almond extract. Batter will be thick.
  3. Drop the batter by 1/2 tablespoons onto the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Use the back of a spoon to slightly flatten out the dough.
  4. Bake the cookies for 8 minutes or until the cookies are set ~ just starting to brown.
  5. Cool for a minute or two on the baking sheet then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. While the cookies are cooling, combine the dried cranberries & cranberry juice in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the berries have softened. Let cool completely.
  7. In a large bowl combine the butter, shortening and vanilla. Beat with a mixer until smooth.
  8. Add the cranberries with the juice ~ I spooned out the cranberries & added them first then slowly added the juice to not overpower the flavor or make the frosting to runny.
  9. Beat in the powdered sugar one cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency. I used all but about 1 cup of the two pounds but I like my frosting thick.
  10. Create your whoopie pies by spreading half of the cookies with a generous spoonful of the cranberry buttercream. Top with the remaining cookies, pressing down lightly to seal.
 
NOTES:  
*I ran my cranberries & the juice through my food processor after they had cooked & cooled to chop them up some but I’m not sure that it would be necessary ~ the mixer chopped them up some too

THIS RECIPE PROUDLY SHARED AT THESE FABULOUS PARTIES

 

 
Now be sure to stop by & check out the rest of the GYCO ~ Cranberry recipes!!
 



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    4. Four Marrs and One Venus

      haha! Jaime I am busting up over here! This post is flipping awesome! You can blame the cranberry ingredient on that Julie..yep- yep that was her pick..But I happen to like cranberries..and you are just a funny texture no like kind of girl huh? haha! Great post my darlin’ thank you SO much for partying with us again for this round!!!
      Jen

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