> what do you all bake for the holidays? I've gotten rave reviews for these
> the past 2 Christmases.
Cranberry Noel Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2- 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
3/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1/2 cup pecans, toasted
1- 1/2 cup coconut, finely chopped

1 In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat
the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2
minutes. Add milk, vanilla, and salt. Beat until just combined. Gradually
add flour, cranberries, and pecans. Mix on low speed until fully combined.
2 Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 8-inch logs, about 2 inches in
diameter. Roll logs in coconut, pressing lightly to coat the outside of the
logs. Wrap logs in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
3 Heat oven to 375°. Using a sharp knife, cut logs into 1/4-inch thick
slices. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets, about 1 1/2-inches apart. Bake
until edges are golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to
cool. Store up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
4 Lynne's note: I toasted pecans at 350 degrees in the toaster oven for
about 10 minutes. Cranberries needed to be whirled in food processor they
were hard to chop finely. On the other hand the food processor was too rough
on the pecans and they did better with the Pampered Chef Food Chopper.
Cookies do spread a little and they do turn brown, but they are tasty either
way.


Servings: 60
Yield: 5 dozen