Raspberry dusted Almond Butter Cookies

DSC_0893.jpg

DSC_0903

DSC_0882

DSC_0868

DSC_0930

These are some gorgeous little gems. They are almond butter cookies rolled in pulverized powdered sugar and freeze dried fruit. Essentially they are a Mexican wedding cake or a Russian tea cake or a spice ball, or whatever your family calls them. Usually we make them at Christmas time and roll them in powdered sugar. But this idea (courtesy of Martha Stewart magazine) to roll the cookies in powdered sugar and powdered freeze dried fruits is ingenious! I first heard of freeze dried fruit when 1. Trader Joe's started selling freeze dried strawberries and 2. Special K with red berries. This time I used freeze dried raspberries. They really give the cookies a wonderful pink hue.These cookies are better underbaked than overbaked. Wait till the cookies cool before you roll them in the powdered sugar. You can use strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, whatever you can find at the store. I get my freeze dried fruit from Trader Joe's - they have a good selection. Also another thing - if you're like me and sometimes leave things out on the counter for too long - if you leave out blended freeze dried fruit it will get weird and gummy and no longer be a powder that you can roll lovely cookies in.Recipe is slightly adapted from here.

Raspberry dusted Almond Butter Cookies

• 1 cup almonds

• 2 sticks butter

• 1 cup powdered sugar + 1/2 cup extra for coating

• 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 cups flour

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup freeze dried raspberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment. Place almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 10 to 12 minutes until darker brown and fragrant. Let cool.

2. In a food processor or high powered blender, process almonds until a flour forms. Do not process further.

3. In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or hand mixer, beat butter and sugar together for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Add extracts and egg and keep beating till incorporated.

4. Add flour, salt, and ground almonds. Mix till just combined.

5. Roll into 1/2 inch balls and bake for 10 to 12 minutes on prepared cookie sheet.

6. While cookies are baking, blend freeze dried raspberries and extra 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Pour into small bowl.

7. When cookies are cool, roll in the powdered sugar and raspberry "dust".