Reindeer Shortbread Bites

Suzi Russell’s simple shortbread is shot through with cheery chopped candied cherries.

1 cup unsalted butter, room

temperature

½ cup confectioners’ sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ounce chopped pecans

2 ounces chopped red and green candied cherries (use more if desired)

Decoration

½ cup melted white chocolate Green and red food coloring

Instructions: Make dough by creaming butter and sugar together with a hand-held mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and combine.

Sift flour, cornstarch and salt together and add to mixture. Add to bowl and beat until mixture forms a soft dough. Fold in chopped pecans and cherries.

Use hands to shape dough into a ball. It will be slightly dry but it will soften as you work with it. Divide dough in half and place each dough ball into a sandwich-size resealable plastic bag. Use a spoon or spatula to push dough into bag corners, then use a rolling pin to roll the dough inside the bag, spreading it to a ½-inch thickness. Seal bags and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two half-sheet baking pans with silicone mat or parchment. Remove dough from the bags by cutting through the plastic with scissors. Cut the dough into 1-inch squares and place on baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake for 8-14 minutes or until just starting to brown on edges.

Allow cookies to cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Melt white chocolate and place in two small bowls; add green food coloring to one bowl and red to the other. Using a piping bag with a fine rounded tip (or a spoon), drizzle icing over top. Store in a single layer in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Makes about 60 small cookies