Dessert Cookies: White Chocolate Cherry Almond

By SharonE

This is Joanne Chang's low sugar version, just slightly adapted. Trust me, you won't know the sugar is missing. I tend to like this as a crispy cookie so I bake longer until it gets to be toasty brown like my photo. But, for softer interior, just take it out once it gets light brown with crisp edges.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks)/225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons/75g sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 3 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 2/3 /230g cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup/70g almond flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 10 ounces/284g white chocolate, chopped into small chunks
• 1 1/8 cups unsweetened dried cherries, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spread the almonds on a baking sheet; toast for 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Let cool.
Use a stand mixer with paddle, combine the butter and sugar; beat on medium speed for 5 to 6 minutes (10 minutes if mixing by hand), or until the mixture is well incorporated, light and fluffy. Stop to scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and almond extracts; beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until thoroughly incorporated. Stop to scrape down the bowl.
Combine the all-purpose and almond flours, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add the almonds, white chocolate and dried cherries to the flour mixture, tossing to combine. By hand, gradually blend the flour mixture into the butter mixture, until thoroughly incorporated to form a dough.
Scrape the dough into an airtight container and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 3 to 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, center rack. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Use a small ice cream scoop or a soup spoon to drop 12 ping-pong ball-size portions of dough balls onto the baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Press the dough balls down flat with the palm of your hand. Bake (middle rack) for 14 to 18 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown on the edges and slightly soft in the center; being careful not to over-bake. Let them cool on the sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat two more times to use all the dough.
The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.