Cranberry Shortbread

Sydney Mike's Note:

I don't usually make shortbread, but this recipe comes from a great cookbook [The Joy of Cranberries: That Tangy Red Treat], so I figure its gotta be a good one!

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 24

Yield: 4.0 dozen

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter (no substitute)
• ½ cup dried cranberries , finely chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Stir together flour, sugar & salt, then cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
3. Stir in cranberries, then form into a ball & knead until smooth.
4. Divide dough in half.
5. On a lightly floured surface, pat or roll each dough portion to a 1/2-inch thickness.
6. Use a knife & cut into 24 2"x1" strips, then place these strips 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
7. Bake 20-26 minutes or until bottoms just start to brown.
8. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove & cool completely on wire rack.

Reviews

[Sarah_Jayne]

I have had my eye on this recipe for ages now but I have had no confidence at all with making shortbread. I decided this year I would give it a try and I am really glad I did because this was an easy to follow recipe and tasted great. I did need to add a little bit more butter for it to be a rolling texture I was comfortable with but nobody is going to complain about even more butter in their shortbread. I made these for a party and they vanished in minutes. I blogged about them too at my vegetarian cooking blog www.weekendcarnivore.com . Thanks Syd!

[Brooke the Cook in WI]

LOVED IT! Loved the texture, taste and the little cranberries in this cookie. I made half a batch on Friday afternoon (regret not making the entire thing now) and it was gone by Saturday. I could not keep my hands out of it. I haven't made a shortbread cookie quite like this before (maybe never before)... I wasn't able to get my dough to come together for kneading and ended up adding in 2 tablespoons (1T at a time) of half-and-half - certainly may have been my inexperience though. No matter - the end product was just wonderful - I almost made another batch today!! Will be making again! Thanks Syd :)

[Lalaloula]

This a wonderfully textured shortbread! I had no difficulties working with the dough and found the instructions very easy to follow. I can't give those five stars, though because I figured I would have liked it much better without the cranberries. But thats just my personal taste and I'm sure anyone who likes cranberries will absolutely devour these little gems. I'm also sure to be making this again-but without the cranberries. Made for "Tag it Red" in the TOTM-Forum.