Lime Shortbread with Dried Cherries

I’ve made this recipe many times over the years and today I decided to add something – 1/8 tsp of extract to compliment – see note at the bottom

1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 Tbsp graded lime peel
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
½ cup chopped dried cherries

In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until blended. Beat in lime peel and extracts. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in cherries.

Divide dough in half; shape each into a 7-in-long roll. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until firm
Unwrap and cut dough crosswise into ¼-in-slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Tip: Very important to place in fridge for several hours.

Note: My add in: I wanted to try Cranberries and Orange because I had both. I did not have enough zest on the orange to create 1 Tbsp (I had used part of it in another recipe earlier) so I added 1/8 tsp orange extract. Be very careful with the amount of extract – it is powerful, and can be too much. Think of adding extract like you would a recipe that calls for a pinch of salt.

These are so delicious! I’m thinking white chocolate drizzled over would be tasty as well. But these do not need help, and they taste even better after they have been sitting in the container for a day or more.
For the cherry/lime – I added 1/8 tsp lime extract – I just the extra zing the extracts have added to these cookies. For the Lemon lime Kiwi – I added a combo of lemon and lime oil to equal about 1/4 tsp.

To differentiate the two while sitting in the fridge – I pressed the cherry log on each side so that it resembled a square/cube. You can tell the difference in taste, of course, but not right away looking at them side by side.

These logs freeze well. Just wrap in saran wrap; wrap a paper tube around to hold shape; put in ziploc freezer bag with name; oven temp; and baking time. When you pull the log out of the freezer – let it sit for about 15 minutes; I do this while the oven is warming.

Makes about 5 dozen