No-Bake Cherry Crisps

These are from a little book called Favorite Brand Name Recipes (Festive Holiday Cookies).  It was published in 1993 so I presume I have had it about as long but had never tried this recipe before!  Where had it been hiding all these years?  These are so good!

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/3 cup crisp rice cereal
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. mini semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained, dried and chopped
1 to 2 cups flaked coconut (for rolling)

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar, and peanut butter.  Stir in cereal, chips, pecans, and cherries.  Mix well.  Shape teaspoons of dough into 1-inch balls.  Roll in coconut.  Put on cookie sheet; chill in refrigerator 1 hour.  Store refrigerated.  Makes about 3 dozen.

They already look good.

My daughter does not care for coconut so I left some without coconut on them.

And these are the finished product!

Cranberry and White Chocolate Shortbread

I believe this recipe came from a brand name recipe mailer like Robin Hood Flour or something like that. This is the first time I have ever made it and I think I like it. :)

Prep time: 15 minutes Bake time: 50 minutes Freezing: Excellent
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
icing sugar for dusting if desired

1. Preheat over to 300 F. Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour with cornstarch and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, beat butter with icing sugar and vanilla until very creamy. Stir in flour mixture, then cranberries and chocolate chips. Using floured fingers, pat evenly into prepared pan. Using a fork, prick surface all over.
4. Bake in preheated oven 40-50 minutes or until deep golden around edges. Let stand for 30 minutes then slice into bars while warm. Dust with icing sugar if desired.

*note: I only cooked these for 30 minutes and then turned the pan around for two or three minutes. Watch so they do not burn!!