These tiny almond cookie bites are finished with pieces of sweet dried cherry for a natural pop of color and a bright counterpoint to the nutty cookie. I originally made a batch of similar cookies for a Chinese New Year candy box, but swapped the traditional red food coloring dot for fruit to avoid artificial dyes.
Instead of the usual blanched almond or colored dot, I used cherry-flavored cranberries (Cherry Craisins) and small dried cherries. The cherry and almond flavors complement each other beautifully, giving each bite a pleasant chew and a touch of tartness against the buttery cookie.
Here’s a playful arrangement—shaped into an “I ♥ U”—a simple and charming way to share these cookies with someone you love.
| Cherry Almond Cookie Bites |
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Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Guava Rose
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 18 mins
Total time: 38 mins
Serves: 80-90 mini cookies
Tiny cherry almond cookie bites.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup ground almonds (almond meal)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 20–30 cherry-flavored cranberries or dried sweet cherries, halved or quartered
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
- In a bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and smooth. Mix in the egg and almond extract until combined.
- Stir in the flour, ground almonds, and baking powder, mixing until the dough comes together evenly.
- Divide the dough into eight equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a log about 3/4-inch in diameter, then cut each log into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Place each piece on a baking sheet with the cut side down, shaping them gently into rounds. Press a piece of halved or quartered cherry into the center of each cookie.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Allow cookies to cool on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.