Christmas Icebox Cookies

Yield:  Approximately 5½ dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 2/3 cups brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 extra large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup mixed glazed fruit
• ½ cup currants

Method

• Cream butter and sugar until smooth.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.  Beat into creamed mixture until dry ingredients are combined.  Stir in cherries and currants until blended into dough.
• Divide dough into thirds and shape each portion of dough into three separate logs, each approximately 2” in diameter.  Wrap tightly in wax paper or plastic wrap. Slit open 3 empty paper towel cardboard cylinders and place one cookie log in each cylinder.  Draw cylinder sides together and secure the cylinders with masking tape.  Refrigerate cookie logs for 3-4 hours, turning rolls every hour or so to distribute the weight of the logs and to keep the shape round. (Unbaked cookie logs may be stored for 2-3 days in the refrigerator before baking, provided they are stored in sealed plastic bags or airtight containers.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. With a sharp knife, slice cookie logs into ¼” thick slices.  Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 1½” apart.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned.  Let cookies cool on sheets for 3-4 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling completely.
• Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.
• Unbaked cookie logs may be frozen in tightly sealed bags or containers for up to 2 months.  Remove logs from freezer and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or so before slicing and baking as above.

Recipe by: My Island Bistro Kitchen

HAPPY BAKING EVERYONE!