Chocolate Covered Cherry Almond Cookies
Lia Soneson
The festive combination of chocolate and cherry is celebrated in these shortbread cookies that are an instant holiday favorite! Chewy, dried cherries and crunchy almond bits introduce a textural thrill against the crumbly shortbread and the rich chocolate coating. We are already dreaming about the next batch.
Chocolate Covered Cherry Almond Cookies
Makes 15-20 Cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour + 2 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup salted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/3 cup sliced almonds, 1 tablespoon reserved and finely chopped
1/3 cup dried cherries, finely chopped
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate banking chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon cherry syrup (from cocktail cherries)
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt until combined.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy 3-5 minutes. Mix in the almond extract for another minute to incorporate.
3. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add in the flour mixture to the butter until just incorporated. Do not over-mix! It should be a crumb consistency and easy to stick together when pressed.
4. Finely chop the almonds and dried cherries and fold them into the dough until evenly incorporated.
5. Gather the dough and divide it in half. Place each half on a piece of plastic wrap and press firmly to form 2 logs. Wrap each log with the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours and up to overnight until firm.
6. Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or non-stick baking mats.
7. Once fully chilled, cut the dough into 1/4" thickness and place on baking sheets and freeze for 15 minutes.
8. Remove from the freezer and bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are just beginning to brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
9. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave, cooking in 10 second increments and stirring intermittently so the chocolate doesn't burn. Once melted, stir in the cherry syrup and dip each cookie halfway into the chocolate to coat one half, and place the half-coated cookie on a baking sheet lined with wax paper paper. Sprinkle with additional chopped almonds. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to allow the chocolate set.