Cranberry Shortbread

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Put butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cream together with an electric mixer until just combined. Stir in dried cranberries.
3. Press dough evenly into an 8-inch square baking pan. Cut dough into 16 squares. Remove shortbread squares from pan and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake until firm and pale golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool on wire rack, about 20 minutes.

Cornbread

Ingredients

• 1 cup corn meal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix oil, eggs, and milk together and add to dry ingredients with a few swift strokes.
3. Bake in greased 9x9x2-inch pan for 20 to 25 minutes.

Classic Gingerbread Cutouts

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup molasses
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the molasses and eggs. Combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour, baking soda, salt, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger; beat into the molasses mixture. Gradually stir in the remaining flour by hand to form a stiff dough.
3. Divide dough into 2 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Frost with desired icing.