Caribbean Crunch Shortbread Cookies

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My mom gave me a cookbook entitled "Baking (Made Simple)" last Christmas and I had yet to use it before this past weekend. I was in the mood for something sweet and decided to check it out. I'm not a huge chocolate person but I do like shortbread and I LOVE dried fruit so I thought this recipe might be good. Turns out that it wasn't good. It was AWESOME! Super easy too. Here's how it breaks down....

Ingredients
1 cup butter (two sticks) softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (I actually forgot to put this in and they tasted just fine - so it's up to you)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup diced dried tropical fruit mix, (I used Welches tropical mix with mango, pineapple, and papaya)

Instructions
1. Cream butter and sugars and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer.
2. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in dried fruit.
3. Shape the dough into a 14 inch log and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about an hour.
4. Preheat the over to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the log into 1/2 inch slices (this is a little tricky with the fruit so I had to reshape some of my cookies - they turn out just fine.) Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet and back for 20-25 minutes or until set and lightly browned. My oven took 25 min exactly. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 26 to 28 cookies


I tried them out on my Sunday School class today (8 year-olds) and they weren't too crazy about them because of the dried fruit - but all of the their mothers and the other teachers loved them! Hope you like them too!