Cranberry Orange Softies

By donnahinkle

Ingredients

• Orange icing:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup nuts, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 Tbls freshly grated orange peel
• 3 Tbls butter, softened
• pinch of salt
• 2 Tbls fresh orange juice
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 375

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. On medium speed, beat in next seven ingredients. Add flour, then nuts, cranberries and grated orange peel.

Drop by heaping teaspoons on ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies will spread. Bake about 11 minutes until just pale golden. DO NOT OVERBAKE! Cool on cookie sheet on a wire rack 5 minutes before removing to rack to cool completely.

For icing: Beat butter and salt in a medium bowl until creamy. Beat in juice, vanilla and powdered sugar, adding more sugar in needed until spreading consistency. Spread on cookies.