When the weather is cold, there is something about homemade shortbread cookies and a big, fat mug of something hot that just feels right.
And Martha Stewart obviously agrees with me, because I was browsing her site today and found this recipe that practically called my name.
The first thing that appealed to me was the short ingredient list. I opted to use dried cherries instead of cranberries, since after December, most of us are cranberry-ed out.
After cooling, sprinkle the cookies with sanding sugar if desired.
I found these to be a nice change from plain shortbread, despite a little initial hesitation about adding fruit to a tried-and-true classic.
It certainly worked and these would be a nice, elegant addition to a Valentine’s Day party with the girls or as the sweet finish to a romantic dinner.
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup sifted confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup finely chopped dried cranberries or cherries
- Heat oven to 325 degrees.with a rack in center. Combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon until combined but not too creamy. Stir in dried cranberries.
- Pat dough evenly into an 8- or 9-inch-square baking pan. Bake until just beginning to turn golden, about 20 minutes.
- Place pan on cooling rack until cool enough to touch, about 20 minutes. Run knife around edges, remove shortbread, and transfer, right side up, to work surface.
- Use 1½- to 2-inch heart cookie cutter to cut out cookies. Use a paring knife to trim stray bits of cranberry from edges.
- Cookies will keep for 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container.
9 Comments
LyB
December 9, 2008 at 3:00 amThose look delicious! I’m not sure what my favorite cookie recipe is, I have a few. 🙂 I’m still thinking about which one I’m entering in this event. Decision, decisions… 🙂
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)
December 7, 2008 at 3:00 amMy husband is a big shortbread fan, and cranberries are so New England that I’m sure he will love this recipe.
Andrea
December 6, 2008 at 3:00 amI’m still looking for a signature x-mas cookie, but yours is wonderful! I’ve tagged you with a meme and an award, participate only if you want to: http://cooking-books.blogspot.com/2008/12/two-tags.html
Susan from Food Blogga
December 6, 2008 at 3:00 amI love the simplicity of this recipe, and cranberries make them just right for Christmas time. Thanks so much for the delicious entry!
Anna
December 5, 2008 at 3:00 amYummy!
alexandra's kitchen
December 5, 2008 at 3:00 amI love shortbread! I have a recipe for rosemary shortbread that I must submit to this event. They are unbelievably buttery and delicious. I am going to update my post today with the links you sent me, too. Thanks, Maris!
kat
December 5, 2008 at 3:00 amShortbread with cranberries in them, yum!
kate
December 5, 2008 at 3:00 amMmmm….shortbread are one of my favorite cookies. I grew up with a Lemon Crisp also, and just love those as well. I will be offering a cookie to Susan’s event again this year, last year I ended up offering THREE cookies- I was ambitious!- and it was awesome.
Pearl
December 5, 2008 at 3:00 amwow – that looks great. my mom loves shortbread and i think that’d be such a nice holiday-ish touch to classic cookies!