CRANBERRY PORT COOKIES

CRANBERRY PORT COOKIES RECIPE

This is my version of a recipe I tasted years ago—my family loves it. The flaky cookies are filled with a scrumptious combination of dried cranberries, cinnamon, lemon and a hint of port wine. —Leslie Forte, Oakhill, Virginia

MAKES: 42 servings

TOTAL TIME:
Prep: 40 min. + cooling
Bake: 15 min./batch + cooling

INGREDIENTS
1-1/3 cups dried cranberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup port wine or unsweetened apple juice
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 packages (15 ounces each) refrigerated pie pastry

GLAZE:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, combine the first seven ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; cool slightly. Transfer to a food processor; cover and process until cranberries are finely chopped. Cool completely.

Roll out each pastry on a lightly floured surface to 1/16-in. thickness. Using a 2-1/2-in. round cookie cutter, cut out 21 circles from each pastry. Place a heaping teaspoonful of filling in the center of half of the circles; top with remaining circles. Press edges with a fork to seal.

Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over cookies. Yield: about 3-1/2 dozen.

Originally published as Cranberry Port Cookies in Taste of Home Christmas Annual Annual 2011, p121