Stollen Cookies

These cookies have the flavors of stollen bread. Marzipan is mixed into the dough and is stuffed full of almonds and dried fruit.

Ingredients

1/2 c. salted butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 c. marzipan
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. almonds, blanched and slivered
1/2 c. dried apricots, diced
1/2 c. dried tart cherries
1/4 c. currants

Yields Approximately 3 Dozen Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl, then add the eggs and mix until combined. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and marzipan. Beat until the marzipan is fully incorporated into the mixture.

In a bowl, sift together the salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and flour. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions, scraping after each addition. Add the almonds, apricots, cherries, and currants. Mix until just combined.

Using tablespoon-sized scoops of dough, place onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned on the bottoms of the cookies.

Chocolate Chunkies

These cookies are loaded with goodies: brown butter, three kinds of chocolate, toffee, and tart dried cherries.

Ingredients

1/2 c. salted butter, browned
1/2 c. dark brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbs. milk powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. toffee bits
1/2 c. tart dried cherries
3/4 c. milk chocolate, chopped
3/4 c. dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 c. white chocolate, chopped

Yields Approximately 1 1/2 Dozen Cookies using two tablespoon-sized scoops of dough

Ingredients

In a pan over medium heat, melt the butter, stirring frequently as the butter begins to brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Beat the butter and dark brown sugar together. Scrape the bowl, then add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix to combine.

In a bowl, sift together the milk powder, salt, baking powder, and flour. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions, scraping the bowl well after each addition. Fold in the toffee, cherries, and chocolate.

Scoop the dough onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned on the edges.

Spiced Cherry Sauce

This sauce is perfect for serving with ice cream or folding into whipped cream.

Ingredients

3 c. frozen tart cherries, defrosted
1/4 c. dark brown sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground star anise
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional)

Yields Approximately 1 1/2 Cups

Place all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and pulse to combine. Pour ingredients into a sauce pan and cook over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently and cook until sauce is thickened and reduced by half. Pour into a heart-proof container and allow to cool before refrigerating.

Cherry Cake +Almond Whipped Cream

This tart cherry cake is paired with an almond paste whipped cream.

Ingredients

For the Cake

1/2 c. salted butter, softened
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 c. smooth almond butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. heavy cream
1 c. frozen tart cherries, defrosted

For the Almond Whipped Cream

2 c. heavy whipping cream
1/4 c. almond paste or marzipan
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. sliced almonds for topping

Yields Approximately 24 servings

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until mixture is slightly lighter in color and aerated. Scrape the bowl, then add the almond butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix to combine.

In a bowl, sift together the salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and flour together. In alternating additions, add the flour mixture and the heavy cream, scraping the bowl after each addition. Fold in the tart cherries.

Pour batter into a greased 9×13 pan and bake for 55-60 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to co while making the almond whipped cream.

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Gently break up the almond paste with a spatula so it starts to dissolve in the wet ingredients. Whip the ingredients until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over the cake and top with the sliced almonds.

Meyer Lemon Muffins with Almonds+Dried Cherries

These meyer lemon-flavored muffins are filled with slivered almonds and tart dried cherries.

Ingredients

1/2 c. salted butter, softened
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tbs. meyer lemon zest
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 c. sour cream, room temperature
1/3 c. meyer lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. tart dried cherries
pearl sugar or course sanding sugar for topping
cupcake liners

Yields Approximately 1 Dozen Muffins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cream the butter, sugar, kosher salt, and meyer lemon zest until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl, then add the eggs and beat until combined and lighter in color. Scrape the bowl. Add the sour cream and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl, then add the meyer lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract.

In a bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Scrape the bowl, then add the slivered almonds and tart dried cherries and mix until just combined.

In a cupcake-wrapper-lined muffin tin, scoop about two tablespoons of batter into each liner. Sprinkle each muffin with pearl sugar or course sanding sugar. Bake the muffins for 20-24 minutes, until the a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Ruby Chocolate+Cherry Madelines

These madelines have ruby chocolate, dried cherries, and almonds mixed into the batter.

Ingredients

2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed
6 tbs. salted butter, melted +1 tbs. butter, melted for greasing pan
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. almond extract
3/4 c. All-Purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 c. chopped almonds
1/3 c. tart dried cherries
1/3 c. ruby chocolate chips
About 1-2 tbs. granulated sugar for dusting pan

Yields Approximately 12 Madelines

Beat together the eggs and brown sugar until the mixture is fluffy and lighter in color. Add the vanilla and almond extract, and mix to combine. Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Add to egg mixture and mix until just combined. Add melted butter and mix to combine. Finally, add the almonds, dried cherries, and ruby chocolate, mixing until just combined. Chill the batter for at least two hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the Madelines pan with melted butter and the sprinkle the pan cavaties with granulated sugar and tip out any excess sugar. Spoon about a tablespoon of dough into each of the cavities. Bake 10-13minutes until the Madelines spring back if lightly pressed. Let Madelines cool for a minute before tipping them out so they don’t stick.