Almond-Cranberry-Chocolate Cookies

owl-creek-ceramics-cookie-jar.jpgToday, Kate offers fine fodder to inspire baking this week. As always, I recommend involving your kids in the process, whether it's dumping, measuring, and/or mixing:

This recipe -- based on Abigail Johnson Dodge's toasted almond cookies in The Weekend Baker: Irresistible Recipes, Simple Techniques, and Stress-Free Strategies for Busy People -- arose out of my desire to use up ingredients lingering in my cupboard and has since evolved into one of my favorite treats. Easy and quick to make, fine to freeze, and popular with guests and hosts alike, these cookies provide a great balance of sweet, nutty, and tart.
Almond-Cranberry-Chocolate Cookies

  • 12 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 egg yolk, large
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup toasted almonds, ground
  • 1/2 cup (or to taste) dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup (or to taste) chocolate chips

    1. In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and salt until well blended. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and almond extracts and beat until well blended.

    2. Add the flour and ground almonds and beat on low speed until the dough begins to clump. Add the cranberries and chocolate chips and mix with a wooden spoon (electric mixers can break up the berries and chips).

    3. Drop the cookies onto a lined/greased cookie sheet. The cookies can be any size you want, but I prefer to make them bite-sized. They won't spread much during baking. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 17 minutes. Cookies will be golden on top.

    Enjoy!

    Image credit: Wow Cookie Jar by Owl Creek Ceramics via Etsy

    • Home, Food + DrinkChristine Koh1 Comment