classic cup christmas cookies

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
• 4 teaspoons orange zest
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups dried cherries
• 1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts
• 4 ounces vanilla flavored confectioners' coating, melted

Recipe

• in a medium bowl, cream together the butter and confectioners' sugar. add egg, orange extract, and orange zest; mix until smooth. sift together the flour and baking powder; stir into the creamed mixture. then, stir in the dried cherries and chopped pistachios. roll dough into a 10 inch long log about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, wrap in plastic or wax paper, and freeze for 2 hours. if dough is too difficult to form a log, refrigerate for 1 hour first.
• preheat oven to 375 degrees f (190 degrees c). grease two cookie sheets.
• cut roll into 1/2 inch slices and place the cookie sheet. bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. cool on the cookie sheet 1 to 2 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack. use melted candy coating to drizzle a striped pattern on the cookies when they are completely cool.