Christmas Angel Cookies

Serves:

Ingredients:

1/2 c Shortening
2 c Candied fruit, mixed
1 tb Vanilla
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Baking soda
3 c Flour
2 Eggs
1/2 c Granulated sugar
1 c Light brown sugar,*
1/2 c Cream cheese, softened
2 c Broken pecans or almonds

Method:

* firmly packed The cream cheese gives these cookies a smooth texture, while the fruits sparkle and sweeten the flavor.
Nice for using the candied fruits that didn't make it into the fruit cake.
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl, cream shortening and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.
Add sugars and eggs, mixing well.
In a seperate bowl, sift flour, baking soda and salt together.
Add flour mixture to egg and sugar mixture; add vanilla.
Mix well.
Add candied fruit and nuts.
Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes.
The cookies will be just browned at the edges.
Hint: You may have to mix candied fruit and nuts in with your hands; a little shortening on your fingers will keep the mixture from sticking.
Yield: 3 dozen.
Irene Holloway, Chevy Chase, MD Randy Shearer