Delicious cranberry and almond cookies, very easy to make because they are sliced after baking, so you won’t need a rolling pin or cookie cutters. I made them for the upcoming Christmas holidays because they keep for several days and make a great gift idea… but you can make them all year round since the ingredients are always available. The dough is easy to make (even by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer), then you just need to form small loaves and bake them in the oven… once cooled, they are sliced, and if you want them crunchier, you can toast them again in the oven, like biscotti. Try the recipe, and if you’re looking for more ideas, check out the collection of Christmas Sweets!
Here are more ideas for you:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 30 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Seasonality: All Seasons, Christmas
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 5 tbsp butter (soft)
- 2/3 cup sugar (+ 1 tsp for the top)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup blanched almonds
- lemon zest (to taste)
- almond essence (to taste)
Tools
- Stand Mixer
- Bowl
- Baking Tray
- Parchment Paper
If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can knead by hand or use a food processor.
Preparation
Place the soft butter and sugar in the stand mixer, mix with the paddle attachment until you get a cream.
Break the eggs into a small bowl, beat them lightly and weigh 75 g. Add them to the mixer and combine. Don’t discard the remaining egg as you’ll need it later.
If you like, add the grated zest of half a lemon and a teaspoon of almond essence. Then add the sifted flour and baking powder, mix until you get a smooth dough, similar to shortcrust pastry.
Finally, add the cranberries and almonds, roughly chopped with a knife (1). Knead by hand on the work surface to distribute the ingredients well.
Wrap the obtained shortcrust dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 30-40 minutes. This step is not mandatory but will help you shape the cookies.
After the time has passed, divide the dough into 3 parts and form loaves of even thickness.
Transfer them onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush them with the remaining egg and sprinkle with a little sugar (2).
Place the tray in a static oven at 350°F and bake the loaves for 25-28 minutes, until golden brown on top (3).
At the end, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 20-30 minutes.
Place them on a cutting board and cut into slices about 3/4 inch thick, using a sharp knife. Then let them cool completely.
Cranberry and almond cookies are ready to be served or packaged as a gift!
Tips and Variations
If you prefer drier cookies, like biscotti, cut them while still hot and return them to the oven to toast their surface.
You can substitute cranberries with raisins (soaked and dried), and almonds with other nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts).
Baking times and methods may vary significantly depending on the oven, the tray used, and the thickness of the loaves. Always keep an eye on the baking to avoid mistakes.
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