Cranberry Lemon Shortbread Cookies

A nice flavourful shortbread! I make these for Christmas, nice to add to the cookie trays for friends and neighbours. Source: Inspired by Compliments magazine

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 36
• Yields: 36 cookies

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 lb unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1⁄2 cup light brown sugar
• 1  egg yolk
• 1  teaspoon  finely grated lemon zest
• 1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup dried sweetened cranberries, finely chopped

• Icing

• 3⁄4 cup icing sugar
• 1⁄4 cup cranberry juice

Directions

1. With an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and lemon zest.
2. Combine flour, salt and cranberries. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture, blending until smooth. Form dough into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap.
3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (not included in prep time). to make it easier to handle.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface or between two sheets of parchment paper to 1/2-inch (1 cm) thickness.
5. Cut into desired shapes with lightly floured cookie cutter or knife. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheets and bake until lightly golden around the edges, 15 to 20 minute
6. Cool completely on wire rack.
7. Icing:
8. Mix icing sugar and cranberry juice to form a pale pink icing. Keep covered until ready to use. Once cookies have cooled, decorate each cookie with icing and allow to firm up.