Tutti-Frutti Refrigerator Cookies

This recipe is a good way to use up candied fruit or cherries left-over from Christmas baking.

It's from Robin Hood Prize Winning Recipes Selected by Rita Martin, printed in Canada, 1947, by Robin Hood Flour Mills Ltd. Recipe format has been changed slightly.

My note: Be careful when measuring lemon extract, too much can taste bitter. If you don't have lemon extract on hand, I'd suggest leaving it out and doubling the vanilla.

Makes 7 dozen cookies

• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 1/2 cup soft shortening
• 2-1/4 cups sifted flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup sliced blanched almonds
• 1/2 cup chopped candied fruit or red and green cherries
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, well beaten
• cherries or pecan halves (optional) for garnish

1. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Add nuts and fruit, Mix well.
2. Measure butter and shortening into a separate mixing bowl. Cream until fluffy.  Add lemon and almond extracts and vanilla. Gradually add brown and white sugars., mixing until creamy. Add eggs and beat well.
3. Gradually add dry ingredients, combining thoroughly.
4. Chill dough in bowl 1/2 to 1 hour.
5. Shape chilled dough into rolls 2" in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper and chill overnight or at least 8 hours in refrigerator.
6. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1/8 inch slices.
7. Arrange on ungreased cookie sheet, leaving space between cookies to allow for spreading
8. Cookies can be garnished with cherries or pecan halves before baking (optional).
9. Bake in preheated 375 degree F (moderately hot) oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
10. Remove cookies from pan and place them on a wire cake rack to cool.

Icebox Cookies

When my mom was little, ice was delivered to your house by the iceman. The ice was transported in a horse-drawn wagon. The huge block of ice in the back of the wagon was covered with straw to insulate it from the sun. The iceman would stop the horse in front of your house and get out to chip a chunk of ice off the block to fit your icebox. In the heat of summer, children would chase the wagon hoping to catch an ice chip. A cookie dough like this would be placed in your wooden icebox for awhile, today you chill it in the fridge.

Cherry Icebox Cookies

This adaptation by Southern Living magazine uses a modern stand mixer.

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup red and green candied cherries, patted dry and roughly chopped
• red and green sanding sugars

1. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract and beat on medium speed until just combined, 15-30 seconds.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
4. With mixer speed on low, add flour  mixture in 3 additions, beating until just combined, 1-2 minutes.
5. Add cherries and beat on low speed just until evenly distributed, about 15 seconds.
6. Divide dough in half on a lightly floured surface. Shape each half into a 12-inch log about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic wrap.
7. Chill in freezer a minimum of 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
9. Place red and green sanding sugars in 2 separate large shallow dishes.
10. Unwrap 1 dough log and let stand at room temperature  20 minutes or until slightly softened.
11. Roll log in red sanding sugar to adhere.
12. Cut log crosswise into 3/8 inch thick slices. Place slices on parchment paper-lined baking sheets at least 1-1/2 inches apart.
13. Bake in preheated oven, 1 baking sheet at a time, until centres are just slightly soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
14. Let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes then transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
15. Repeat steps 10 through 14 with remaining dough and green sanding sugar.
16. Store baked cookies in a sealed container at room temperature up to 5 days.