20--- Cranberry Thyme Shortbread Slice Cookies

Would you like to serve your guests highly addictive, not overly-sweet, interesting little morsels this holiday?  This is your recipe.

Herbs in cookies? Seems odd, but it is so tasty.  You MUST try them!  Store the dough in the freezer for up to 3 months or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days prior to baking.  How easy is that?

Cranberry Thyme Shortbread Slice Cookies
Makes 4 dozen

1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (almond works too)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped finely
2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup fine granulated sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with a handheld mixer until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and continue mixing until smooth.  Beat in egg yolks, dried cranberries, thyme and lemon zest.  Gradually add flour and continue beating, just until flour is mixed in.

Form half of dough into a ball, then cover with plastic wrap.  Repeat with remaining half and refrigerate dough balls for 30 minutes.

Roll each chilled dough ball into two uniform logs, roughly 1 1/2" thick and 12" long.  Refrigerate for one hour (or until ready to bake).

When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove logs from refrigerator and roll each in granulated sugar.  Use a very sharp knife to slice each log into cookies 1/2" thick and place each cookie onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (note: cookies do not spread very much during baking).

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until they are set but not brown.  Remove from oven and immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

Store in an airtight container.