25 Days of Christmas Baking Day 3: Cranberry Pecan Thumbprints

I found this recipe on a list of "What to do with Leftover Cranberry Sauce from Thanksgiving."  So, my family doesn't eat cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving.  I don't know why.  You'd have to ask my mom to find out why.  But we never do.  It's simply not on the table. 

However, this recipe looked good. And since the first time making these, I will actually go and BUY cranberry sauce for the express purpose of making this "Leftover Cranberry Sauce" recipe.  Apparently I'm not the only one to like it.  It got lots of positive comments throughout the lab as well.

My lazy baker tip:  The recipe says to chop the pecans.  Most electric mixers will "chop" the nuts themselves as they whir it around.  So I don't ever bother to chop the pecans for this. I just put them in whole and the mixer chops them up.

(Let's just say that if for some reason the healthcare industry goes under and I can no longer be a lab scientist...photographer is definitely off the back-up plan list).

Cranberry Pecan Thumbprints

Ingredients:
about 2/3 c cranberry sauce
1 c. butter
3/4 c packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 c flour
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground allspice (which I learned last year is not a mixture of spices, contrary to popular belief.  It is actually its own spice and grows in seeds).
pinch of salt
3/4 c pecan pieces (if you put them in whole, send a few more in)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Using an electric hand mixer, whirl the sauce until smooth
2. Beat butter and sugar together until smooth.
3. Stir in vanilla extract
4. Add flour, spices and salt, then mix on low speed until blended.
5. Stir in pecans
6.  Form dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and set 1 inch apart on baking sheet.  Use your thumb to press a well into the center of each cookie (I have small hands and have to use my thumb and pinkie--adjust as needed).
7.  Spoon about 1 tsp cranberry sauce into each well
8. bake until light golden brown, 12-15 minutes.  Completely cool on baking sheet.


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