Cherry Almond Shortbread Cookies Recipes

CHERRY ALMOND SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Soak cherries in cassis in small bowl at least 4 hours or overnight. Drain; pat dry.
• Grind 3 tablespoons almonds in mini processor until finely ground. Finely chop remaining almonds.
• Whisk all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add ground almonds; beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Beat in flour mixture on low speed just to blend.
• Scrape dough out onto sheet of parchment or waxed paper. Using paper as aid, form dough into 81/2x13/4-inch log. Brush dough all over with egg (except for ends). Scatter chopped almonds on sheet of plastic wrap. Roll log in almonds to coat. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Dough can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. Cover and chill cherries.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Let dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Unwrap dough and cut into 3/8-inch-thick slices. Place cookies on large ungreased baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Place 1 cherry in center of each cookie.
• Bake 10 minutes. Press cherries into cookies (cookies will have softened). Rotate baking sheet in oven and bake until cookies are lightly golden and slightly puffed, about 18 minutes longer. Cool cookies on sheet on rack 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack to cool completely. DO AHEAD: Cookies can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

CHERRY ALMOND SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream the butter and then add powdered sugar and cream together with a hand mixer. Add maraschino cherry juice, almond extract, and vanilla and continue to mix until smooth.
• Add flour and the chopped maraschino cherries to the bowl and work the two ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture using a spatula or your hands. Take care not to over-mix. You're going for well-combined, but not beaten.
• Scoop the mixture into the middle of a piece of plastic wrap, mold into a log shape about 1½ inches in diameter, then roll up in the plastic wrap and tie off the ends. Place in the freezer for 1 hour.
• After the dough has hardened in the freezer, preheat your oven to 350ºF. Cut the dough out of the plastic wrap and cut in ⅛ inch thick slices. Place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment and bake for 11-13 minutes or until the cookies are just beginning to turn golden brown.

CHERRY ALMOND SKILLET SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with nonstick cooking spray, then line the skillet with a parchment circle. Spray the parchment with more cooking spray.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir the granulated sugar into the melted butter. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift the flour and salt onto the batter. Add the almond extract, dried cherries and orange zest and stir well.
• Pour the batter into the skillet. Top with the sliced almonds and the turbinado sugar.
• Bake until slightly brown on top, about 35 minutes.
• Cool the shortbread in the skillet. When cool, cut into wedges.

CHERRY ALMOND SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar well in a large bowl.
• Add remaining ingredients.
• Work into butter mixture.
• Shape into 4 rolls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Put each roll into waxed paper and chill.
• Cut into 1/4 inch slices and bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 200C degrees for 6-7 minutes until edges show some browning.