Summertime looks to be here...

Summertime...I think it may have finally arrived here in Melbourne. 

How nice is it to be able to sit outside, the kids eating Freezies, playing with Bubbles and in the sandbox while Mum has a nice cold drink.  It is just sparkling water with a wedge of lemon but maybe after 5pm when Dad is home it will have a little something extra in it.  So now that brings me to the recipe of the week inspired by Summer Days and lemons.

Lemon Cranberry Wafers - Refrigerator Cookies

These sounded like they would be yummy little morsels to bake on a hot day.  The dough is made ahead of time and chilled in the fridge for no less than 2 hours and can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer ( no specific time given but I wouldn't leave it for more than a few months.)  They took me a whopping 8 minutes to make and get in the fridge, so fast and easy too.  The recipe called for Pecans, but as all my recipes will be nut-free to accommodate my allergy I chose to substitute with dried cranberries.  They are chock full of of vitamin c and will look oh so lovely in the cookie.  I worked in a Credit Union in Canada  and the cafeteria served lovely fresh baked muffins each day.  My favourite of all time was the lemon cranberry one so I know this combination will be fantastic.  And with the leftover lemon you too can enjoy the above pictured beverage of your choice. 

After the mixing - here is the dough wrapped and about to be wrapped before getting chilled.  If freezing I would also include a layer of foil or pop in a freezer bag.  Chill for minimum of 2 hours.



The Finished Result

These are wonderful little cookies.  A nice lemony taste, soft texture (you could bake them a bit longer if you wanted them firmer) and the cranberries just add a nice extra flavour to them.  I would recommend these for a picnics, lunchboxes and with a great cup of Earl Grey Tea.  There aren't really any cons to these cookies other than having to wait to bake them, but then the pro is that you can make ahead and pop them in the oven when guests arrive and they will be ready and warm in 12 minutes!  You can't beat that!  There are so many other variations of fridge cookies too and I'll add some variations to my other pages for you to look through over the coming week.

Hope you enjoy! 

Aileen

P.S. Did you like Snickerdoodles or Chocodoodles best?  Leave me a comment below.

Lemon Cranberry Wafers - Refrigerator Cookies

1/2 cup (125gm) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon each grated lemon peel and lemon juice
2 cups all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup dried cranberries


In large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy; beat in egg, lemon peel, and lemon juice.  In another bowl, stir together flour, salt, and baking powder; gradually add to butter mixture, blending thoroughly.  Stir in cranberries, mixing with your hands if necessary to distribute cranberries evenly.  Shape dough into 2 rolls, each 1 1/2 inches in diameter; wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours) or for up to 3 days.


Unwrap dough.  Using a sharp knife, cut into 1/8 inch thick slices; place slices about 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets.  Bake in a 350 F oven for 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Transfer to racks and let cool.  Store airtight.  Makes about 6 dozen.