Cranberry Orange Almond Shortbread Cookies

I've been trying to avoid making sweets since we always end up with too many in our apartment once I'm done baking, but these cookies looked like they would taste really good. The plus side to these shortbread cookies is that it makes a lot too! I burnt some of mine, but I ended up with almost fifty cookies total.

Recipe from Craving Something Healthy.

Ingredients:

-1 cup unsalted butter, softened

-1 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar

-3/4 teaspoon almond extract

-1/2 teaspoon salt

-2 cups flour

-1 tablespoon orange zest

-2/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

-1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Place butter, powdered sugar, almond extract and salt in a large bowl and beat until smooth. I was able to use a spoon to get this accomplished (I don't currently have a mixer, but if you have one use that instead). Gradually add flour and orange zest. Mix until a dough forms. Stir in almonds and cranberries with a spatula.

Pat dough into a ball, and then form into a log shape, about 2-inches in diameter. I formed three small longs to help these fit into the freezer, if you make multiple logs of cookie dough, make sure they're all of similar size. Wrap the log in plastic wrap, and freeze until firm, at least an hour.

Remove the dough from the freezer and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Place at least 1-inch apart on a cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for about 20 minutes, just until the edges start to turn golden. Let cool for about 5 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet.

Make sure to pay attention to these near the 20 minute mark, some of mine burnt in the first batch I baked. However, if you have a newer more reliable oven that heats evenly that might not be an issue for you.

These are a little addictive. Since they're so small, I don't feel guilty eating more than one, and they have a really nice crunchy texture. I also like the additional texture that the bits of almond and cranberry give to the cookies. These would be wonderful for a holiday party, even with the inclusion of so much sugar these are more buttery than anything and not overwhelmingly sweet.