We have an amazing recipe archive at Cambria, and it’s chock-full of delicious things that were specifically designed for our wines. So when I wanted to find a good dessert recipe to go with Halloween, I knew that there would be something wonderful in there. And of course there was.

The second I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make these. Because cranberries, white chocolate, and red wine? How can you go wrong?

For these cookies, you take the dried cranberries and steep them in red wine, preferably Pinot Noir, for twenty minutes until they get really juicy and plump. Then, you combine them with white chocolate chips and chocolate cookie dough. They are really delicious, and make a perfect, more grown-up treat for Halloween, especially with a glass of Pinot alongside!

Happy Halloween!

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 8 large cookies

½ cup red wine, such as Pinot Noir

½ cup water

¾ cup dried cranberries

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 large egg

¾ cup, plus 2 tablespoons flour

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. kosher salt

½ cup white chocolate chips

Place rack in the center of oven and preheat to 375ºF.

In a small sauce pan, add the wine and water and bring to a simmer.  Immediately remove from heat and add the cranberries.  Steep for 20 minutes and then drain.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars together until fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.  Beat in the egg and mix until well combined.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix until just combined.   Fold in the drained cranberries and white chocolate chips.

Remove dough from bowl.  If the dough is too soft to handle, it can be refrigerated for 30 minutes or until just firm.  Scoop dough onto parchment lined sheet pans and bake for approximately 11 minutes.

Are you free on Saturday, November 12? If so, come visit us at Cambria! We are going to be celebrating our annual Fall Holiday Faire, from 11:00am-4:00pm.

Every year we put on our Fall Holiday Faire, which brings together local artists, vendors, caterers, and musicians for a day of shopping, food, wine, and live music! This year should be just as exciting as last, with over 20 different vendors selling all sorts of fun gifts, from painted glassware and woodworking items, jewelry and vintage aprons, home-made chocolates, seasonings, and porcelain pottery, to monogrammed totes and bags! Burrito Loco will be serving fine Mexican food, Babycakes will have bite-sized cupcakes, and there will also be beautiful artwork on display from many different local artists!

This year we will also be doing something different, as we will have some special guests visiting from Operation Rescue. Operation Rescue is a Santa Maria organization that tries to place dogs without homes with loving owners. They will have several adorable pups with them on Saturday, all of whom would love to find a good home that Saturday!

So please stop by to sip wine, shop, enjoy lunch on our patio, meet some adorable puppies, and listen to local band Soulamente’s fun blend of jazz, Latin, Old School and R&B! We can’t wait to see you there!

 I hope that you all are having a wonderful St. Patty’s so far!

I love St. Patty’s, and can’t wait to have some corned beef and cabbage tonight with my family! We are thinking of dyeing some of the Cambria Pinot Gris green tonight and calling it “Pinot Green,” like they did at the Cambria Tasting Room for their St. Patrick’s Day party last year.

I put together this photo essay of green images in honor of St. Patrick’s day this morning. I hope that you enjoy them!

What are your plans this St. Patrick’s Day?