Pistachio Cranberry Shortbread

These shortbread cookies are so delicious! They melt in your mouth! I'm sure you have all ingredients on hand, all you need is flour, salt, butter, powder sugar and pretty much any mix ins you would like. This recipe is super versatile, I chose to add pistachios and cranberries to my dough and I've also made them with chocolate. Super simple and highly recommended! You can dip half of the cookie in chocolate if you would like, I dipped the chocolate batch in melted peppermint bark but left this one as is. Both were great!

Shortbread
slightly adapted from: Martha Stewart living, December 2012

Ingredients:
- 2 c. flour
- 3/4 t. salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 c. confectioners sugar

Mix ins of your choice, I used 1/2 cup of chopped pistachios and 1/2 cup of dried cranberries.
You could use chocolate chunks, dried fruit of your choice and nuts. Martha does a coconut-
pecan combo that sounds absolutely delicious.

Directions
1. Sift together flour and salt into a medium bowl.

2. Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, 3-5 minutes.
Add sugar gradually, beating between additions, continue to beat until
mixture is very pale, about 2 minutes total.

3. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, beat until just combined.

4. Add mix-ins of choice and beat on low once again, until just combined.

5. Press dough evenly into a parchments lined 9 by 13 inch rimmed baking sheet,
refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.

6. Cut dough in eights lengthwise then quarters crosswise, making 32 rectangles.
Evenly pierce all over with a fork.

7. Bake until shortbread is firm in center and golden brown, about 45 minutes.

* If dipping in chocolate; Melt chocolate, Dip bars in chocolate then refrigerate
until chocolate is set about 10 minutes.

Enjoy XOXO,

Lidia