Cranberry Icebox Cookies

These delicious cookies are a popular dessert with friends and family. Sometimes we just eat the dough, though they are great hot out of the oven. Enjoy!

1 1/4 cups butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups chopped fresh cranberries

In a bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the extracts.

In a different bowel, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Gradually add to the creamed mixture.

Chop the walnuts and cranberries to your favorite size. The smaller the chopped pieces of cranberries, the pinker the dough will appear due to the released cranberry juice. Stir in walnuts. Carefully stir in cranberries.

Shape the dough into three 7in. rolls. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. This allows the dough to become more solid and way easier to cut when it's time. 

Cut the rolls into 1/4in. slices and place 1in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. For a softer cookie, cut just over 1/2in. slices and place them further apart on the sheets. Bake at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Gently remove cookies and cool on wire racks.

Yield: around 5 1/2 dozen

1 serving (2 each) =

178 calories
9 g fat (5 g saturated fat) 
31 mg cholesterol
134 mg sodium
21 g carbohydrate 
1 g fiber
3 g protein