Fruit & Nut Cookies (Pistachio-Cranberry Shortbread Cookies)

Blogging Marathon# 36: Week 1/ Day 1
Theme: Cookies
Dish: Fruit & Nut Cookies (Pistachio-Cranberry Cookies)

Here's Wishing everyone a very Happy, healthy & prosperous New Year 2014.
Our blogging marathon group is back again in the new year with BM# 36. To start the new year on a sweet note, I'm making some cookies for the first week of the marathon. I wanted to post a savory cookie too, but posted this baked mathri last week/ year itself.

I made 3 types of cookies and this eggless fruit cake to give as edible gifts this Christmas season. Last few years the cookies I made for Christmas had eggs in them and it didn't bother me. But this year I was baking for family who don't eat eggs and I had to find eggless cookie recipes or at least recipes that had only 1~2 eggs, so I can easily replace them egg replacer.

So for the first day, I have these Fruit & Nut cookies that are basically shortbread cookies with some dry fruit and nuts added. I already have these fruit & nut cookies and these pistachio sandwich cookies that are made almost the similar way.
What's great about these cookies is that once you make the dough and freeze it, then you can cookies at moments notice. Also the dough comes together in no time and is very easy to work with. Just make sure to leave the butter out for couple of hours to get it nice and soft.

Ingredients:
Confectioners Sugar - ½cup
Unsalted Butter - ¾cup, at room temperature
Salt - ½tsp
Vanilla extract - 1tsp
All purpose flour - 1½cups
Shelled Pistachios - ¾cup, chopped (or use any other nut of choice)
Cranberries - ¾cup (or other favorite dry fruit or a mix)

Method:

• Beat sugar, butter, salt and vanilla in a stand mixer (using the paddle attachment) or using a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
• Add flour, pistachios and cranberries, stir until combined
• Divide the dough in half and shape into a log; square, triangle or round.
• Roll the log in plastic wrap and then in foil, freeze for at least 1 hour or up to 3 months.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease 2 baking pans or line them with parchment paper.
• Remove the cookie logs from the freezer and set them aside for a few minutes to soften a little bit. Then slice them into ¼" thick pieces.
• Place them on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25~35 minutes or until they feel firm. They will not brown much, baking longer at a lower temperature prevent them from darkening.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and place them a cooling rack to cool completely. Store them in an airtight container.

Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 36.