Holiday Cookies

One of the really nice thing about working at HCPL is being here on the day The Decider brings in his holiday cookies for the entire building. This year there were 9 varieties including his always popular and highly requested Nanaimo Bars. My personal favorite is the Raspberry Almond Bars, or whatever I'm eating at the time. This year he tried a new recipe which has been a big hit with my co-workers (and me).

Here is the recipe which came from the Whole Foods Market website. He changed it up a bit by substituting regular flour for whole wheat and using salted butter, but no salt. He also didn't use parchment paper.

Cranberry Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Cranberries and pecans, two symbols of the fall harvest, work beautifully in these rich shortbread cookies. Serve them with strong black tea for an afternoon treat. The dough freezes well, so keep a log in the freezer and you'll be prepared to provide holiday visitors with freshly baked goodies at a moment's notice.

Make 30 to 40 cookies
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup pecan pieces, toasted
Mix together butter, sugar and maple syrup with a wooden spoon or in an electric mixer. Add the vanilla and stir to combine. Add flour one cup at a time, mixing well after each cup is added. Stir in the salt, cranberries and pecans.
Shape dough into two logs and chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut dough into 1/2-inch slices and arrange on baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cookies will keep several days in an airtight container.
Nutrition Info
Per serving (About 1 Cookie/32g-wt.): 160 calories (90 from fat), 10g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 2g protein, 15g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 6g sugar), 20mg cholesterol, 20mg sodium