21 Days of Cookies: Day 3
This is an excellent drop cookie. If you like coconut and almonds, you will be a fan. The shortening gives the edges a wonderful crispness, but then they turn to chewy goodness toward the center. And when you hit the cherry, that wonderful flavor explodes in your mouth – it’s the best bite of the cookie!
This recipe calls for almonds, and I toast them before adding to my dough, as I do with all nuts. The original recipe calls for 3/4 cup. I found that a 2 oz. bag of almonds comes pretty close to 3/4 cup and works fine in the recipe. However, if you’re not an almond fan, substitute vanilla extract for almond, and leave the almonds out.
Cherry Almond Chewies
An easy drop cookie that is crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and looks pretty on a holiday plate!
Servings: 36 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 eggs
- ¾ tsp almond extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2½ cups flaked coconut
- ¾ cup slivered almonds I used a 2 oz bag, and toasted them
- 16 oz maraschino cherries drained and halved
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Cream shortening and sugars until mixture looks shaggy.
- Add almond extract and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined.
- Add coconut and almonds. Stir until evenly distributed.
- Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. They will spread out – about 12 fit on a standard half sheet.
- Add a cherry half, cut side down, to the top of each cookie. Press down slightly so the cherry stays in place when the cookie spreads out, but don't flatten the mound.
- Bake for about 12-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
