Cranberry Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies Recipes

ROSEMARY-CORNMEAL SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• 1. Lightly grease a 9 1/4-inch (23 cm) fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Whisk the flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl until well blended. 2. Put the butter and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer fitted with wire beaters). Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the rosemary and vanilla and beat on medium until blended and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough forms moist clumps. Dump the dough into the prepared pan. Using lightly floured fingertips, press the dough into the pan to form an even layer. Make sure to press the dough into the scalloped edges to form a clean edge. Sprinkle the fleur de sel or sanding sugar, if using, evenly over the top. 3. Using the tip of a knife or a bench scraper, score the dough all the way through, forming 16 wedges. With the tines of a fork, prick each wedge twice all the way through, starting at the widest part of the wedge and spacing them about 1/2 inch (12 mm) apart. Lightly flour the tines of the fork as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking. Slide the pan into the freezer or fridge for about 10 minutes while the oven heats. 4. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C/gas 2). 5. Bake the shortbread until the top looks dry and very pale brown, 39 to 41 minutes. Move the pan to a rack. Using a small paring or serrated knife (I don't use a bench scraper for this because it compresses the cookies' edges), immediately recut the wedges using the scored lines as a guide. Let the shortbread cool completely before removing them from the pan. 6. Serve the cookies with a dusting of confectioners' sugar.
• Instead of the rosemary, use one of the following combinations: Double ginger: 2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger + 1/3 cup (1 3/8 oz./39 g) finely chopped crystallized ginger (add both with the vanilla). Cinnamon toast: 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon added to the flour + 1 Tbs. granulated sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon sprinkled over the shortbread and pressed lightly into the dough before baking. Espresso chip: 1/2 tsp. instant espresso powder (dissolved in the vanilla extract) + 1/3 cup (2 oz./57 g) finely chopped bittersweet chocolate.
• To make rectangular cookies: Line the bottom of an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan (the straight-sided type makes for a cleaner-looking cookie) with parchment. Prepare the dough as directed. Using lightly floured fingertips, press the dough into the pan to form an even layer. Using the tip of a knife or a bench scraper (my tool of choice), score the dough all the way through, forming 1 x 2-inch (2.5 x 5 cm) bars. With the tines of a fork, prick each bar two or three times all the way through, spacing them evenly and on the diagonal. Lightly flour the tines of the fork as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking. Proceed as directed.
• To make round cookies: Have ready two cookie sheets lined with parchment or nonstick liners. Prepare the dough as directed. Arrange a large piece of parchment on the work surface and scrape the dough onto the center. Cover with another piece of parchment and press down on the dough to flatten. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough between the parchment to a 1/4-inch (6 mm) thickness, turning, lifting, and repositioning the parchment and lightly flouring throughout the rolling. Slide the dough onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes. Remove the top piece of parchment from the chilled dough. Using a 2 1/2-inch (6 cm) round cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Using the end of a straw, punch out three holes in the center of each round. Arrange about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Stack the scraps, gently press together, reroll, chill, and cut as directed. Slide the cookie sheets into the fridge while the oven heats (at least 15 minutes). Bake, one sheet at a time, until the tops look dry and very pale brown, 26 to 28 minutes.

CRANBERRY CORNMEAL LINZER COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat 3/4 cup butter and and white sugar together in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat egg into butter mixture.
• Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture; stir. Beat vanilla into butter mixture. Form dough into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.
• Roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thick. Cut dough with a round or Linzer cookie cutter. Use a smaller cutter to cut the center from the tops. Place cookie bottoms and tops 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are lightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
• Stir cranberries, brown sugar, and water together in a saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir butter and lemon juice into cranberry mixture; remove from heat and cool.
• Spread a small amount of the cranberry mixture onto one side of the bottom half of a cookie. Place the top half of the cookie on top of the cranberry mixture. Repeat assembly process with remaining cookies and cranberry filling.

CRANBERRY CORNMEAL COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Combine sugar and butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs, corn syrup, and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed. Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt; beat at low speed until well mixed. Stir in dried cranberries.
• Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls; roll in sugar. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets; flatten slightly with hand. Bake 9-13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

CRANBERRY CORNMEAL COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl.
• Beat at medium speed until creamy.
• Add eggs, corn syrup and vanilla, beating until well mixed.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.
• Add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating on low until well mixed.
• Fold in cranberries.
• Shape rounded teaspoons into balls and roll in sugar.
• Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets, flattening slightly.
• Bake 9 to 13 minutes until edges are lightly browned.

CORNMEAL CRANBERRY COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a bowl whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy and beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and vanilla and stir until combined well. Stir in cranberries.
• Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets and bake cookies in batches in middle of oven 16 to 18 minutes, or until golden. Transfer cookies with a spatula to racks to cool. Cookies keep in airtight containers 5 days.

CRANBERRY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

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

CRANBERRY-ORANGE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and ginger in a small bowl.
• Cream together butter and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract until thoroughly incorporated. Add in 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in remaining flour mixture until just combined. Stir in cranberries.
• Form dough into a 9x2 1/2-inch rectangular log. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove dough from the refrigerator and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets and sprinkle the top of each cookie with a little additional white sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges of cookies just begin to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Allow cookies to cool 5 minutes on baking sheets before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

CRANBERRY CORNMEAL SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, rosemary, orange zest and cayenne. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. (You may need to add water, 1/2 t at a time, to help dough come together). Stir in dried cranberries. Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On a lightly floured surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut dough and place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough, gathering up scraps, retooling and cutting until all dough is used.
• Bake until lightly brown, 21 to 24 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.