Florida, Fruit, Gift, Baskets, Recipes and Gourmet items

Florida, Gifts, Fruit, Recipes and Gourmet Items

Golden Grapefruit Good-Bites

Fresh Start Recipe Contest Winner: Marcia Mae Curtis, Winslow, IN

These moist and flavorful cookies make good use of fresh grapefruit, juice and zest.

1 Florida ruby red grapefruit

1-1/2 cups golden raisins

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup butter-flavored shortening

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon rum flavor

1 tablespoon grapefruit zest

1 cup chopped pecans

Prepare 1 tablespoon zest from the grapefruit. Cut grapefruit in half and remove pulp and squeeze juices into a measuring cup. Add a little water if necessary to make 1 cup.

In a medium saucepan combine grapefruit and golden raisins; boil for 3 minutes. Cool.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar; add eggs one at a time, beating well. Add rum flavor, grapefruit zest, pecans, and cooled grapefruit and raisins mixture. Add the sifted dry ingredients in two additions. Form tablespoons of dough into balls and press into cookie sheets or drop tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Makes 6½ dozen cookies.