Family Cookbook- Debbee's Frosted Cranberry Cookies

My Chef is always teasing my about cookies. He will break out into his goofy rendition of the Cookie Monster classic- "C Is For Cookie, Cookie Starts With C"........ or even his version of the Barbra Streisand tune "You Don't Bake Me Cookies Anymore"when he feels he has been neglected and no cookies have been baked in a while. Poor guy. This year he got what he wanted- several delicious cookies we made on our family baking day. My oldest daughter Debbee brought this recipe to the baking party. Tender buttery cookies with a hint of cranberry tartness from the jellied cranberry sauce, a chewy texture that I love, topped with a light icing and sprinkled with sparkling chopped craisins.

Debbee is busy making treats on family baking day

Cookie making is an easy skill to master. Using a mixture is key- you get the light and fluffy texture of the butter and sugar creamed together. Eggs and vanilla go in next and the dry ingredients are gradually added in to make a tender dough. This dough is rolled into balls and flattened slightly with the bottom of a glass for uniform shape and size and even baking. Cool on a rack before drizzling with icing and sprinkling with the chopped sugared berries. They are gorgeous! Be sure to make plenty- even a double batch- if you're sharing. They disappear fast.

Frosted Cranberry Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup butter, room temp

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup jellied cranberry sauce

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup craisins, chopped

2 tb sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tb milk

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375. Line baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

In medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar til light and fluffy.Add cranberry sauce, egg and vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients 1/2 cup at a time until all combined. Drop by tablespoon onto prepared baking sheet or roll into small balls. Flatten slightly. Bake for 10 minutes. Cookies do not brown. Cool 5 minutes then remove from pan.

In a small bowl toss cranberries with sugar. Set aside. Combine icing ingredients in another bowl. Frost cooled cookies with icing and top with cranberries.

These delicious cookies are perfect on a holiday cookie tray or just to fill te cookie jar at home for your family. I loved the sugared craisins on top. They added an unexpected sweet and chewy pop. We made these cookies on our family baking day and they were a huge hit. In our house, these guys got gobbled up right away. Since craisins and canned jellied cranberry sauce are available year round I'll be baking these guys again and again for The Chef.