It's time to get your holiday baking started! I won $50 this week when I submitting this to an online sight that requested holiday recipes.
Holiday Shortbread Cookies
Makes approximately 24 cookies
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1-2 Tablespoons grated orange zest
2 cups dried sweetened cranberries, chopped
Additional confectioner's sugar
Juice from 1 orange
1 additional Tablespoon of orange zest
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and confectioner's sugar, with an electric mixer, until creamy. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts along with the 1-2 Tablespoons of grated orange zest. Mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the cranberries. Don't over mix.
Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into logs. Wrap each log in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator at least 4 hours, or until ready to bake.
To bake, slice the logs in 1/2 inch sections. Lay on parchment lined cookie sheets about 1 inch apart.
Bake in a 350 degree oven until firm but not browned, approximately 10 minutes.
While cookies cool, make a glaze of the additional confectioner's sugar and orange juice. Stir additional 1 tablespoon of orange zest into glaze. Drizzle or spread the glaze over the cooled cookies.
