Dried-Cranberry Shortbread Hearts

These cookies are a side effect of being struck by Cupid. Love makes you do silly things, this includes making heart shaped cookies.

Dried-Cranberry Shortbread Hearts

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325 with rack in the center. Put butter, sugar, vanilla, flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir together with a wooden spoon* until combined but not too creamy. Stir in dried cranberries.
Press dough evenly into a 8-inch square (or 10' round works as well) baking pan. Bake until firm and pale golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, about 20 minutes.
Run a knife around edges; remove shortbread (be careful, it's fragile. This is where having two people in the kitchen came in handy) and transfer, right side up, to work surface.
Cut out hearts with a 2-inch heart shaped cookie cutter. Trim any stray bits of cranberry from edges with a paring knife. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

*I personally use my hands. I like to feel my food. Plus, you get to lick your fingers after your finished mixing. Yes, I wash my hands afterwards.