Dried Cherry Almond Cookies Recipes

DRIED CHERRY AND ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla.
• Gently mix in the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, fold in the almonds and dried cherries.
• Divide the dough in half and roll the dough into 2 logs. If the dough is sticky, dust with a little flour. Roll the logs to the length of a sheet pan. Beat the egg white with a splash of water. Brush the logs with the egg white and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Transfer to a sheet pan and place at least 3 inches apart. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven let cool for 10 minutes. Remove logs to a cutting board and slice on the bias about 3/4 inch thick. Lay the biscotti back on the sheet pan and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. This will harden the biscotti. Cool completely on a rack.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper. Dip each biscotti or pretzel in the chocolate to cover half of each and then dip in the sprinkles or candy cane pieces. Set each piece on the lined cookie sheet to allow the chocolate to harden. Store in a cool place in air-tight containers. Try not to eat them all at the same time.
• Bring a saucepan with 1-inch of water in it to a boil. Put the chocolate in a large metal or heatproof glass mixing bowl and place on top of the saucepan with boiling water. Pay careful attention that the mixing bowl does not touch the surface of the boiling water. Stir the chocolate until it is almost completely melted. Remove it from the saucepan and continue stir until the chocolate is completely melted. This entire process should take no more than 5 to 10 minutes.

CHERRY-ALMOND REFRIGERATOR COOKIES

Steps:

• Sprinkle almonds in ungreased heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently until nuts begin to brown, then stirring constantly until nuts are light brown. Cool 10 minutes. In food processor, process almonds until finely chopped; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add egg and almond extract; beat on medium speed until smooth. On low speed, beat in flour, baking powder and salt until dough forms. Stir in cherries and chopped almonds.
• Form dough into 2 (8-inch) logs. Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Cut dough into 1/8- to 1/4-inch slices. On ungreased cookie sheets, place slices 2 inches apart.
• Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges start to turn golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

CHERRY CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease baking sheets. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• Beat the unsalted butter, butter flavored shortening, white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time; beat in the vanilla extract and almond extract with the last egg. Mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the cherries, walnuts, pecans, and chocolate chunks, mixing just enough to evenly combine. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned around the edges, 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes; remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

CHERRY-ALMOND SLICE-AND-BAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. In large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add flour, almonds and almond extract, beating on low speed until well blended. Stir in cherries.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 1 inch apart.
• Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks; cool 2 minutes. Roll cookies in powdered sugar; return to cooling racks.

CHERRY ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine oat flour and sugar in a large bowl. Add butter; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Mix in egg and soy milk. Mix in baking powder and cinnamon; dough should be the consistency of soft cookie dough. Fold in cherries and 1/2 cup almonds.
• Drop cookie dough onto the prepared sheet in 2-tablespoon portions, leaving a few inches between each cookie. Sprinkle remaining slivered almonds on top of each cookie.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cookies comes out clean, about 15 minutes.

CHERRY ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the oil, butter, and sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the almond and vanilla extracts.
• Set a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl containing the egg mixture. Add the gluten-free flour, almond flour, salt, and baking powder. Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl.
• Mix everything together until a soft dough forms. Fold in the cherries.
• Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to drop mounds of dough 2-inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each mound using damp fingertips.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around the bottom edges. Cool the cookies on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Melt the white chocolate chips according to the package directions. Carefully transfer to a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle over the cooled cookies.

DRIED CHERRY-ALMOND FILLED COOKIES

Steps:

• Dough: Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, until light.
• Add sugar, salt and vanilla until moistened. With mixer on low, add flour and mix until combined.
• Dump dough onto well-floured board and roll into a ball. Divide ball into quarters, wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
• Filling: Soak cherries in a combination of Amaretto and white grape juice for several hours (in a pinch, heat on low until liquid is hot but do not boil, then add cherries and soak at least 20 minutes - allow to cool before using).
• Place cherry mixture, almond extract, sugar and almonds in food processor, fitted with metal blade. Pulse/process until ingredients form a grainy paste (if necessary add a little more liquid). Scrape sides down once during processing.
• Roll out each dough ball to a uniform thickness of about 1/8 inch. Cut into 2 inch circles and place on parchment covered cookie sheets. Place a level measuring teaspoon of filling in center of each round. Pull over to fold in half (forming a half moon) and press edges gently together to form a seal.
• If desired, brush each cookie with an egg wash of 1 beaten egg and 1 tablespoon milk just before baking.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time on center rack of preheated 350 degree oven for 18-20 minutes or until bottom edge becomes golden. Remove to wire rack and let cool completely.

DRIED CHERRY AND ALMOND COOKIES WITH VANILLA ICING

Steps:

• FOR THE COOKIES: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in the egg. Add the flour and beat on the lowest speed until just blended. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the dried cherries and almonds.
• Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log, about 12-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Dough can be made up to 3 days in advance).
• Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut the log crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Transfer the dough slices to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges and puffed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing, about 30 minutes.
• FOR THE ICING: Put the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the vanilla extract and water, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture becomes a drizzling consistency. (Makes about 2/3 cups icing, enough to ice both variations.).
• Put the cooled cookies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Using a spoon or a fork, drizzle the cookies with the icing, allowing any excess icing to drip onto the baking sheet. Allow the icing to set before serving, about 1 hour.
• Cook's Note: To toast the almonds, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool completely before using.
• Cook's Note Alternative: Replace the dried cherries with 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots and add 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts. Also, use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and omit the almond extract.

CHEF ANNE'S DRIED CHERRY & ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and granulated sugar and mix, scraping down the sides as needed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the 2 whole eggs one at a time, stirring to combine thoroughly after each addition. Add the vanilla.
• Gently mix in the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Stir until all the dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Fold in the almonds and cherries.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into two logs, about the length of the baking sheet, and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
• Beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the logs with the egg wash, sprinkle them with the turbinado sugar, and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove the logs from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, and use a serrated knife to cut them into 1/2-inch slices-on the bias-while they are still warm (slicing them while warm will prevent crumbling). Keep the ends to nibble on while the other biscotti are baking.
• Lay the biscotti back on the baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes to toast and harden.
• Let the biscotti cool and store in an airtight container.