Dried Cherry And Almond Cookies With Vanilla Icing

Total Time: 2 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 24
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherry (see cook's note)
• 1/2 cup blanched slivered almond, toasted and coarsely chopped (see cook's note)
• 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons water, plus extra, as needed

Recipe

• 1 for the cookies: in a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in the egg. add the flour and beat on the lowest speed until just blended. using a wooden spoon, stir in the dried cherries and almonds.
• 2 transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log, about 12-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter. wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (dough can be made up to 3 days in advance).
• 3 arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. preheat the oven to 350 degrees f. line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.
• 4 cut the log crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. transfer the dough slices to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart. bake until the cookies are golden around the edges and puffed, about 15 minutes. transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing, about 30 minutes.
• 5 for the icing: put the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. gradually whisk in the vanilla extract and water, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture becomes a drizzling consistency. (makes about 2/3 cups icing, enough to ice both variations.).
• 6 put the cooled cookies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. using a spoon or a fork, drizzle the cookies with the icing, allowing any excess icing to drip onto the baking sheet. allow the icing to set before serving, about 1 hour.
• 7 cook's note: to toast the almonds, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. bake in a preheated 350 degree f oven for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly toasted. cool completely before using.
• 8 cook's note alternative: replace the dried cherries with 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots and add 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts. also, use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and omit the almond extract.