Makes: 2 ½ dozen cookies
Pre-heat oven to 375°F
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons ground or finely chopped fruit such as raisins, apricots, cranberries, dates and prunes
Sugar, for rolling
1. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix again to incorporate. Add the sour cream and mix until no traces of white remain.
2. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Pour in the flour mixture half at a time, beating until it's fully mixed in. Then stir in the dried fruit pieces with a spoon.
3. Roll 1-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on a lightly greased or parchment-paperlined cookie sheet. Roll them in the sugar, place them on the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart, and flatten them (a good amount--they'll rise) using two fingers. Bake the cookies until they fully set up, 10 to 12 minutes.
Try rolling instead
Turn these into sliced cookies instead of drop-style. Chilled in your fridge or freezer, logs of cookie dough are perfect for slicing and baking cookies for a quick snack.
Rolled Icebox Cookies
Roll the dough into 1 big log (about 2 inches in diameter) or 2 small logs. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and then in parchment paper, securing the ends for a tight seal. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes or up to 2 weeks.
Remove and slice into ¼ -inch-thick cookies. Bake as instructed.
Tip: This technique works for most cookie doughs.
Excerpted from Cookiepedia by Stacy Adimando Copyright © 2011 by Stacy Adimando. Excerpted by permission of Quirk Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission from the publisher