Cranberry Icebox Cookies

Mix and freeze this dough, then cut and bake cookies before your guests come for tea. These tasty delights are excellent for Christmas and special occasions. Substitute nuts and other dried fruit to replace cranberries as desired or gussy them up by rolling the dough in chocolate or colored sprinkles. For chocolate cookies, substitute ½ cup/ 125 ml cocoa powder for the same amount of flour and add 4 oz. / 120 mg melted and cooled semisweet chocolate to the dough with the egg yolk and vanilla. This recipe is a large recipe and can be cut in half. This recipe is not in the From Oma's Kitchen Cookbook.

4 ½ cups/ 1.12 L all-purpose flour

1 tsp/ 5 ml salt

2 cups/ 500 ml butter, softened

1 ½ cups/ 375 ml light brown sugar

1 cup/ 250 ml icing sugar

4 egg yolks

1 Tbsp/ 15 ml vanilla extract

2 cups/ 500 ml dried cranberries

Whisk flour with salt. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar together until it is light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla until combined, scraping bowl as needed. Gradually add the flour.

Transfer dough to a clean counter and divide into 4 equal parts. Form each portion into a roll on a large piece of waxed paper, roll up into waxed paper, place on a cookie sheet and freeze. Place logs into a plastic bag when frozen.

Before cutting into cookies, let defrost for 20 – 30 minutes. Cut into ¼ inch/ .5 cm slices and place on parchment covered cookie sheets.

Bake @ 350F / 180C for 10 – 12 minutes or until lightly baked on edges.

Makes about 8 dozen cookies.