The World Cup is in full swing, and I think the biggest surprise has been how little time I’ve actually had to watch it this year. Now, let me put this out there–for me, the World Cup is essentially my Olympics. I look forward to it every four years. Who can resist a full day of soccer games being aired on television? With the regular team I follow currently being in the Champions League, our games don’t really make it onto US television.
Up until this year, I’ve always had full weekdays off during the summer months to just sit and watch the World Cup whenever I wanted to. I could take in a game while on the treadmill or keep it on in the background as I bake. This year has been a bit of a change, though. You never realize how early these games take place until they’re all done with by the time you get home from work. And let me tell you, working seven days a week has essentially killed my weekend dreams of getting lost in soccer for a few hours.
This weekend, I’ve finally been able to watch a combined hour and a half though and it’s filled my heart with complete joy. As I’m typing this post up right now, I’ve got my left foot resting on my old green soccer ball from middle school and have the England – Panama game on (yes, I am squeezing this post in before work! When blogging means you essentially have three jobs, you do what you can to make the time you need). Even though my country completely failed to qualify–looking at you Italy–I’ve been fully invested in the few moments I’ve been able to catch these last two days. Not to mention, the Google search for ‘World Cup’ has become one of my most popular sites on my phone these past couple weeks as I constantly check the scores!
All right, I should stop now before I go on gushing about soccer. Let’s move on to these cookies.
Once again, these cookies were born from a trip to Target and my adventures in the dried-fruit and nut aisle. There’s something about that area that just excites me as I look at everything and think about what new recipe I can come up with. This must be what people who are good at actual cooking feel when they go to the grocery store or a farmer’s market. My skills only come into play when it comes to what pairs well with sugar.
I found a package of dried cherries–which naturally, I can’t even find at every location I go to!–and knew I had to do something with them. Dried cherries are so much larger than raisins or dried cranberries, and they have a softness to them which makes them feel like they still hold a bit of that cherry juice inside of them. That’s what makes these cookies so magical when you bite into them. It feels like you’re biting into a cherry. Add to that the crunch of the toasted almond, and the bittersweet flavor of the dark chocolate chips, and you have a winning combination. Not to mention, the almond flavor is elevated throughout these cookies not only by the large chunks of toasted almond, but with the addition of almond extract and almond flour as well.
Maybe it’s just because almonds are one of my favorite foods, but the prominence of the flavor is one of the things I love most about these cookies. I highly suggest that you put on the World Cup, and whip up a batch of these. There’s really no better way to spend your day.
| Cook Time | 15-18 minutes |
| Servings |
cookies
|
- 1/2 cup butter cold and cubed
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg large
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup almonds toasted and chopped
- 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips
- 5 oz dried cherries
Ingredients
|
|
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy--about 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside.
- Once the butter and sugars are ready, add in the egg and almond extract, mixing between each addition until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients, half at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Fold in the chopped almonds, dark chocolate, and cherries. Leave the dough to chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper. Using an ice cream scoop or a large spoon, drop the dough onto the prepared sheets. Bake 15-18 minutes until the bottoms turn a light golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes before transferring over to a wire rack or cool baking sheet.
To toast the almonds: preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Line the tray with the whole almonds and toast 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the almonds are toasted. If you can smell them, you've gone too far! (This can also be done in a toaster oven). Once cool, chop or smash with a rolling pin.
*For some reason, I love these cookies most when they're just slightly under-baked. The middle is perfectly soft and chewy yet you still get a slight crunch when you bite into it. Plus, the cherries almost seem as if they've been rehydrated once you bite into them and that slightly tart juiciness mixes with the toasted almond and the dark chocolate so beautifully.