Mary's Lemon-Blueberry Tea Cookies

I 'invented' this cookie recipe a couple of years ago when I was trying to decide what to do with some dried blueberries that I'd bought. I used a favorite orange cookie recipe as a base. I like to use the dried blueberries from Target ("Archer Farms" is their store's brand name); they're a nice small size. The dried blueberries from Costco are larger but I've used them after chopping them up a bit.

Mary's Lemon-Blueberry Tea Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. grated lemon zest

1 Tbsp. lemon juice (optional)

1-2 tsp. lemon extract (use the larger amount if you don't use the lemon juice)

2 eggs

3 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 to 1-1/2 cups dried blueberries (chopped, if they're large berries)

coarse sugar

Cream butter and sugar; add lemon ingredients and eggs, beating well.

Mix flour and baking powder into creamed mixture; stir in dried blueberries. Divide dough in half; on waxed paper shape each portion into a log, then wrap & refrigerate logs of dough until well-chilled.

Using one portion of dough at a time (keep remaining dough chilled), cut dough into 1/2" slices, then cut each slice into quarters. Roll each quarter-slice into a ball, then roll each ball in coarse sugar. Place on baking sheet and flatten slightly; bake about 10 minutes at 350 degrees (cookies will be pale in color). Cool on wire rack. Makes about 175 small cookies ... you can of course make larger cookies.