Pecan Icebox Cookies with Cherries

One of my new favourite cookie recipes! The best part is you don't have to cook them all at once, you can store the dough and cook some up for a special occasions, or when you have a craving :) Super easy to do!

Prep 25 min   |  Total 1 hour


1 cup     all-purpose flour
1/2 cup  cornstarch
1/4 tsp   salt
3/4 cup  unsalted butter
1/2 cup  icing sugar
             zest from one lemon
3/4 cup chopped candied cherries (maraschino cherries work)
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/4 cup coarse white sugar


STIR flour with cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir butter with icing sugar and *lemon zest in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in flour mixture, then cherries and nuts. Pour coarse sugar into a large, flat baking dish. Set aside.

DIVIDE dough into 2 portions. Place each on a piece of waxed paper. Form a roll into a log about 7 in. long and 1 1/2 inch wide. Roll each log in coarse sugar, pressing lightly so sugar adheres to dough. Roll log in wax paper and twist ends. Chill until firm, about 1 hr or overnight.


PREHEAT oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (not to be confused with wax paper!). Slice log into 1/4-in-thick-cookies. Arrange on prepared sheet 2 in. apart. Cookies will spread as they bake. Bake in center of oven until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Store in a airtight container up to one week or keep dough refrigerated up to one month.


*first time zester? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2phFht2JMA (you can also use a cheese grater)


Makes 55 cookies   |   58 calories per cookie
Find more awesome cookie recipes at chatelaine.com