Cherry-Almond Slice-and-Bake Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 1.75 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.333 cup dried sour cherries (minced)
• 0.5 tsp table salt
• 0.5 tsp baking powder
• 16 tbsp unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
• 0.75 cup sugar
• 1 egg yolk (large)
• 1 tsp almond extract

Steps

1. 1

   Whisk flour, minced cherries, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl.

2. 2

   In a second bowl, whisk the melted and cooled butter, sugar, egg yolk, and almond extract until the mixture is very smooth.

3. 3

   Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until well combined. Note that the dough will be loose at this stage.

4. 4

   Let the dough rest until it becomes firm, about 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a log that is 1 1/4 inches in diameter and about 10 inches long.

6. 6

   Wrap the logs tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

7. 7

   When ready to bake, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

8. 8

   Let the chilled dough logs sit on the counter to soften slightly for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

9. 9

   Slice the logs into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and space them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.

10. 10

    Let the sliced rounds rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking.

11. 11

    Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are just golden, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through the baking time.

12. 12

    Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Notes

You can substitute other dried fruit for the sour cherries. To ensure cookies are the same size, roll logs to exactly 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Don't skip the 10-minute rest after slicing; it helps the cookies expand evenly. Tightly wrapped dough logs can be frozen for up to two months (thaw in the refrigerator for 6 hours before slicing). Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 10 days.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• snack
• cookies
• baked
• vegetarian
• holiday
• make-ahead