Cranberry Christmas Sandies

Well I best get these posted tout de suite or else they'll have to wait a year; rolled in Christmas nonpareils, they would just look stupid any other month.  I made these for my neighbor goody plates.  Which I took pictures of.  Which my camera erased.  So here's the stock photo off the internet.  But mine looked just like these!

Regular sandies are not my #1 favorite cookie - they're so bland and taste like flour.  But I was intrigued to find a sandy with lemon and cranberry - that is a crumbly cookie I can get behind!  The recipe worked like clockwork, and this time, I didn't mind them melting in my mouth.  ZING, wowza!  I've got my new Christmas Sandies!

Cranberry Christmas Sandies (print recipe)
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
White, red and green nonpareils

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.  Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium for 30 seconds.  Add powdered sugar.  Beat until combined, scraping bowl.  Beat in vanilla.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  Stir in the cranberries, lemon peel, and any remaining flour.

2.  Shape mixture into 1/2-, 3/4-, or 1-inch balls.  Roll dough balls in nonpareils.  Arrange balls 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets.

3.  Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes for 1/2-inch balls, 13 minutes for 3/4-inch balls, or 15 minutes for 1-inch balls or until bottoms of cookies are light brown.  Transfer to wire racks and let cool.  Makes about 144 (1/2-inch) cookies, 72 (3/4-inch) cookies, or 36 (1-inch) cookies.

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens