Cranberry Ginger Sugar Cookies ~ Day 1 of the 12 Days of Cookies '12

Yes, it's that time of year again.
The holiday season is upon us and people are baking up a storm.
I decided that the 12 Days of Cookies that I started last year would be an annual event because it was so much fun and friends who have liked us on the 365 Facebook page really enjoyed it when we did it in September.
For our first day, I thought the combination of some seasonal flavors might go well in a sugar cookie, so that's how I came up with these.
I combined some fresh cranberries with some crystallized ginger for this little treat.

Adapted from my Fannie Farmer Cookbook, Thirteenth Edition, p. 837; authors, Jean Anderson and Elaine Hanna; publisher, Doubleday, a division of Bantam Doubleday Publishing Group, Inc., an imprint of Random House, Inc.; ISBN 0-385-19577-X.


Cranberry Ginger Sugar Cookies - makes about 4 dozen (I halved the recipe in the book)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups + 6 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger

Directions
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
Add the egg, cranberries, and crystallized ginger until thoroughly combined.
Gradually add the flour and mix on lowest speed until just blended.
Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and place half of the dough onto it, shaping it into a log about 2-inches in diameter.
Do the same with the other half of the dough.
Chill for several hours in refrigerator until firm.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut into slices about 1/4-inch thick and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Bake for 10 minutes, until firm, but not browned.

I usually have a problem with slice and bake cookies becoming flat on one side, so I stuck each log into a half of a paper towel roll. Joan from Chocolate, Chocolate and More Chocolate shared that little tidbit with me and it worked like a charm! No more flat sided slice and bake cookies for me!! Thanks, Joan!!

I rate everything I bake on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best and these Cranberry Ginger Sugar Cookies earned 3 1/2 rolling pins.
I thought the cookies were going to be too tart with the cranberries, but the flavor balanced out quite nicely and I like the zing of the ginger in them, too!
The cookies were a tad bit pinkish because of the cut up cranberries which I thought was pretty cool for this time of year.
I'll definitely be making these again.  Sugar cookies are always a great standby, but it's nice (I really hate that word, it just sounds so trite) AWESOME to kick them up a notch and add some zip to them!

The 12 Days of Cookies Party is in FULL SWING on the 365 Days of Baking Facebook page, so be sure to visit us and see all of the absolutely INCREDIBLE cookies people are sharing, And remember to hit that "Like" button if you haven't already!!
I'll also be pinning each of the recipes posted on FB to the 365 Days of Baking Pinterest page, so be sure to follow me!
See you tomorrow for Day 2!!

I give you all BIG baking hugs and muffins!!