Cranberry Pecan Shortbread
A delicious star-studded cookie packed with flavour that simply melts in your mouth. You will need a stand mixer to make this cookie. You can bake the cookies all at once, or keep the logs in the fridge or freezer and bake as needed. This is a variation on Aunt Ester’s Shortbread, originally submitted by Chef Curtis Straub.
Makes about 36 shortbread
1 lb salted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups packed icing sugar
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
6 tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
1 cup chopped dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup granulated sugar, for dusting
In a large mixer bowl, cream the butter and the icing sugar until fluffy.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt. Gradually add the mixture to the creamed butter, a third at a time on low speed. Increase speed to medium-high and beat the batter for a full 10 minutes. The batter will resemble heavily beaten whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Reduce the speed to low and add in the cranberries, pecans and vanilla. Combine well.
Tear off three long strips of plastic wrap. Divide the dough into three and place large spoonfuls of the dough along in the centre of each strip to create a log about 2” thick. Use floured hands to roughly shape the dough in a uniform log. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, using your hands to even out the shape of the log; refrigerate several hours, until firm. The dough can also be frozen at this point and baked later.
Preheat oven to 275°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Unwrap one of the logs and cut it into ¼” thick rounds. Dip both sides of each round in granulated sugar. Place on the cookie sheet. Bake for 35 minutes. Cookies will not brown – you want them to be white, like snow. Let cool on the pan before removing to a wire rack. Let cool on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining logs.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Moe 'will respond' to CRA, insists Saskatchewan has 'paid in full' amid carbon tax audit
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says his government 'will respond' to the Canada Revenue Agency when it concludes its audit of the province, but that his position is Saskatchewan doesn't owe Ottawa any money.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a northeast London suburb Tuesday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, British authorities said.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
WATCH Arnold Schwarzenegger spotted filming in Elora, Ont.
The name of the project has not been officially released although it’s widely believed to be the Netflix series FUBAR.
BREAKING Hosting Vancouver's FIFA World Cup games could cost half a billion dollars
Hosting seven games in Vancouver during the 2026 FIFA World Cup could cost more than half a billion dollars, according to an updated estimate provided Tuesday.
Conservatives push motion calling for Carney to testify, say it's about 'accountability'
The federal Conservatives made good on their promise to push for former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney to testify before MPs, resulting in a heated political debate in Ottawa on Tuesday.