Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (2 sticks) stick margarine, softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 22 candied red and green cherries, halved
- 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Instructions
Using a wooden spoon, cream together the cheese, margarine and sugar. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour and stir well. The mixture should be fairly firm, but refrigerating the dough for an hour or so makes for easier handling. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Shape about 2 teaspoons of the dough into a ball and place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Place a cherry half, cut side down, in the center of each and press gently. Bake in the center of the oven 10 to 12 minutes, or until firm. You don't want the cookies to get too brown. Cool on wire racks and sieve the confectioners'sugar over them. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies. Variation: Use chocolate morsels, nuts or gumdrops instead of cherries.
