This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.
What’s better than a chocolate chunk cookies? How about adding tangy raspberries and crunchy almonds to those chocolate chunks?! These soft, moist cookies have a delicious almond flavor, tons of tart and tangy dried raspberries, and huge pockets of semi-sweet chocolate chunks. You may never make regular chocolate chip cookies again!
Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Almonds and Raspberries
As regular readers might know, I’m more than a little obsessed with freeze-dried fruit, especially raspberries. (Not sure how to use freeze-dried fruit in desserts? Check out these cookies, these bars, or this buttercream!)
Freeze-dried raspberries do such an amazing job of imparting bold raspberry flavor to any recipe, without adding excess liquid, which can be a problem in dessert recipes. This flavor hack is so genius, I now want to stick them in everything. Yes, even meatloaf. Deal with it.
So it had been my plan to add my favorite to a chocolate chip cookie recipe for awhile, but when the time came, I thought they might need something more. Something to give them a little extra dimension…so I added almond paste and chopped toasted almonds as well.
The almond paste is a fantastic addition: it adds a pronounced but not overwhelming almond flavor, as well as a moistness and softness that is ideal in chocolate chip cookies. The almonds bring crunch, while the scattered bits of raspberries give the perfect tart bite. And I don’t think I need to tell you how great the big pockets of melted chocolate are. (Hint: really great.)
Special Ingredients You’ll Need
→ Almond paste is a soft paste, usually found in a bar shape, made from ground almonds, sugar, and a bit of oil. It has a delicious almond flavor so if you’re an almond lover like me, you’ll LOVE desserts made with almond paste! It can usually be found in the baking aisle of the grocery store.
In this recipe, the almond paste adds not only flavor, but also a wonderful texture. It keeps the cookies soft and moist for DAYS. If you’re tired of your chocolate chip cookies going a bit stale after a day or two, give this recipe a try and see if you don’t fall in love with adding almond paste to your cookies!
→ Freeze-dried raspberries are very different from regular dried raspberries. Rather than being super-sweet and chewy, they’re crunchy and taste JUST like a tart, tangy raspberry! I love using freeze-dried fruit because it can be added whole to some desserts, like cookies, or it can be ground into a powder in the food processor and used to flavor frostings and other soft desserts.
Freeze-dried fruit can be found near the dried fruit/nuts at Trader Joe’s and in many large grocery stores, and can also be easily purchased online. It should be kept in an airtight container or bag, because it will start to get soft and chewy once it is exposed to air.
How to Make Raspberry Almond Chocolate Chunk Cookies:
- Combine the almond paste and 2 types of sugars in a mixer, and mix until it looks like coarse crumbs.
- Add the butter, then mix until it looks light and fluffy.
- The egg, yolk, and vanilla are then mixed in until well-incorporated.
- Whisk the flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl, then add the dry ingredients to the mixer.
- Mix on low speed until just a few streaks of flour are left, then finish mixing by hand.
- Now for the good stuff! Add the chocolate chunks, freeze-dried raspberries, and chocolate chunks.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours–overnight is good too!
- Scoop the cookies into large balls, and bake them at 350 F for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool a bit, then devour!
Chocolate Chunk Cookie Tips and Tricks:
- If you can’t find almond paste, you can substitute marzipan. Marzipan is made with almond paste, and has a similar flavor and texture. It does have added sugar, however, so your cookies will be sweeter than if you had used paste.
- No chocolate chunks? No problem! Swap in semi-sweet chips instead, or mix it up and use milk, white, or dark!
- This recipe is made to be used with freeze-dried raspberries, so swapping in fresh is not advised in this recipe.
- You CAN use other freeze-dried fruit, though! Try it with strawberries or blackberries instead!
More Fun Cookie Recipes You’ll Love:
- Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Clemen-Thyme Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Fudge-Striped Shortbread Cookies
- Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Raspberry Almond Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 oz almond paste, soft, cubed
- 5 2/3 oz brown sugar, (3/4 cup), lightly packed
- 1 3/4 oz granulated sugar, (1/4 cup)
- 6 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 9 oz all-purpose flour, (2 cups)
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chunks, (1 cup)
- 3/4 cup almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup freeze-dried raspberries
Instructions
- Combine the almond paste, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer to low and mix the almond paste and sugars together, until the paste is worked into the sugar and the mixture is coarse crumbs.
- Add the butter, and cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla extract, and beat until combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and turn the mixer to low, mixing until just a few flour streaks remain. Turn the mixer off and mix the dough the rest of the way by hand, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the chocolate chunks, chopped almonds, and freeze-dried raspberries, and stir them in until everything is well-mixed.
- Wrap the dough tightly in cling wrap, and refrigerate it until firm, about 2 hours. (Dough can be made several days ahead and kept in the refrigerator until ready to bake.) Once the dough is firm, preheat the oven to 350 F. Scoop the dough into large (1 1/2”) balls, and place on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies are puffed and starting to brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature on the baking sheet.
Recipe Notes
MEASURING TIPS
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Click here to learn more about baking measurements and conversion.Nutrition
I’m glad you’re feeling better.
1. Because feeling ill sucks AND
2. Because your back to baking and these cookies I just want to add to my already long list of things to bake!
Thanks Rochelle! Feeling ill DOES suck–I’d forgotten how bad it is! It’s definitely not all peacefully lying down reading magazines and watching bad tv! I’m glad to be recovered and back to cookie baking. 🙂
Wow, sorry to hear you’ve been so sick. I’m so terrified of the flu-flu. I’ve never had it, but it’s probably in my future eventually. Glad that you’re feeling better now, and this recipe looks so, so good!
Thanks Lori! I even got a flu shot this year, but I guess the flu-flu can’t be contained by puny shots. 🙂 Fingers crossed you stay immune. Thanks for stopping by!
Raspberry, almonds and chocolate is my love language.
So does that mean I’m seducing you with these cookies, or what?
Ooof, my friend, so sorry to hear about the sickness. It sounds like a real b-word-b-word, nawmean? I just want to pet your head, and that’s probably weird.
THESE, however, are everything I want. And you are seriously inspiring me with the freeze-dried fruit evangelism… I have ideas… So, thank you.
I laughed out loud! Never have I wanted a head pat so much. You are the best.
Ewww, the flu-flu sounds poopy. I’m glad your feeling better. These cookies look bomb by the way.
Thanks Nicole! It’s been hanging around all week but at least I can eat cookies again. 🙂
Glad to hear you are on the mend.
These look delicious, I’ve never worked with almond paste before though. Where would I find it at the store?
Hi Krystle! Almond paste is usually found in the baking aisle–often near the chocolate chips, bags of nuts, things like that. The brand I usually see is Odense and it comes in a 7-oz tube that’s packaged in a small rectangular box. Odense also sells marzipan that looks similar, so be sure the one you’re buying is almond paste. Hope this helps!
Oh wow!! Words can not describe what I thought when I saw these cookies.. they look really YUMMY!!
I agree freeze dried raspberries are the answer 🙂 I just need to find them here..
ps. Hope you are feeling much better after the flu-flu!!
Xx
Thanks Johlene! I feel bad using them so often in my recipes, because I imagine they’re not always easy to find in some places…but as an addict, I kind of can’t help myself. I hope you’re able to track some down! Cheers!
About to make these cookies but as a European I am somewhat confused. 4 oz almond paste, what’s that in grams?
Hi Ruben,
You can switch to metric measurements in the recipe card–under the ingredients just hit the button that says “Metric” (next to “US Customary”) and the values will be automatically calculated. 4 oz is 113 g, but you can round down to 100g or up to 125 g (whichever is easiest for you to get) and it should be fine. Hope this helps!
Ah thanks! Didn’t notice that, probably because i was checking recipe on my phone 🙂
That melted chocolate…oh my. Gets me everytime! These look soo delicious. So smart of you to use freeze dried raspberries. Totally need to try these!
I know, I’m a sucker for the big puddles of melted chocolate! Thanks Rachel!
i love raspberry and chocolate. yum!
Me too–definitely a match made in heaven! Thanks Dina!
I am glad you are feeling better – the flu flu sounds horrible!!! These cookies on the other hand…not horrible at all. They look AMAZING! I love all the flavors you used in here. YUM!
Thanks Cate! I wouldn’t wish the flu-flu on anyone…and I would wish these cookies on everyone! Thanks so much for stopping by.
Haha, believe me, I think I’ll avoid this flu-flu aka the second black plague! Yuck, sounds horrible, glad you are feeling better. These cookies – oh my goodness!!! This is how I’m going to get my fruit servings in. And that chocolate – drooling over here!
Thanks Mary Frances! I can’t argue, these would be the best way to get in a serving of fruit. You’re a genius!
Oh no that sounds terrible! Feel better soon.
These cookies look amazing! I’m drooling over that melty chocolaty goodness. 🙂
Thanks Tina! Fortunately I’m mostly recovered and back to cookie snarfing. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
I am a big cookie head! These look yummEEE!!
Thanks Jett! I have to say, I’d never heard the term cookie head before, but it’s a pretty perfect way to describe me, so I’m stealing it. Love it!
Looks delicious! If i didn’t want to add the almonds could it be okay if i just skip the almonds and almond paste, or is the almond paste an essential part to make the cookies moist?
Hi Bailey! You can skip the almond paste, but I would recommend increasing the brown sugar to 1 cup. Almond paste is sweetened so I used less sugar in the recipe, so to compensate you should up it if you omit the paste.
oh wow…these look beautiful & decadent! Love the red/brown color combo.
Thanks Brandie! I love it when desserts look great without any special effort–somehow raspberries and chocolate just naturally look awesome together!
Oh no! I can’t believe you got the flu-flu!! (Which, btw, is a perfect name for it.) My MIL always cautions me to be careful what I wish for precisely for this reason! Oh, and it’s so hard when there are little ones running around. Sometimes I think they like the all-tv days though! And wow – I want almond paste now!! Hope you are all better by today!! xoxo!
Haha, I know. I felt super guilty about using the tv as a baby-sitter, while he seemed happy as a clam to veg out. Come to think of it, he probably gave me the flu with his day care germs, just to get a tv day… ha. Thanks Sara!
I’m totally drooling over these cookies! The melty chocolate gets me every time. I’m sorry you have the flu-flu. Feel better soon!
Thanks Natasha, I’m a total sucker for melty chocolate too!
Yuck…the flu-flu, I bet you thought that it couldn’t get any worse, eh? Thanks goodness you had the cookies to devour! I’ve never tried almond paste before but I intend to now as we all like the flavor of almond. BTW, do you use natural or artificial lighting for your pics? They’re gorgeous! I’ve never had luck with artificial.
Thank you Liz! Almond paste is awesome–it’s similar to marzipan, but not as sweet. I love baking with it!
I use mostly natural light–I am lucky to have a great window in my kitchen that works near-perfectly, although it is getting some harsh direct sunlight this time of year! When that happens, I put up a diffuser so there’s not bright sunlight on the food. Also, I always bounce the light back with foamboard, and I supplement with a Lowel EGO light on a tripod. It’s not great on its own (when it’s dark) but as an addition to the natural light it’s helpful.
I’m glad youre starting to feel better!! The flu-flu is THEE WORST!! And these cookies look totally killer!!!
Thanks Jocelyn! No arguments from me– flu-flu is gross! Thanks for stopping by!
I hope you’re feeling better now darling! Flu-flu really sucks :–(
These cookies look fabulous! Almond paste + raspberries?? I’m in. And melty chocolate pockets are the best thing ever yeah. I’m so drooling for these ;–) x
Yummy!
I LOVE that you put almond paste in these! That is my all time favorite flavor, plus I bet it gives them the perfect chewy texture.
I just recently found your website and I’m excited about all of the recipes. Especially this one. I have been wanting to add fruit to cookies to balance the sweetness with tartness but I don’t like dried fruit! I never thought about freeze dried! Duh, Kim! I have been wanting to do a chocolate chip, strawberry (I’m obsessed with strawberries), and pistachio (I’m allergic to almonds) cookie for a while and now you’ve shown me how. I wonder how cinnamon chips and peaches would be. Like peach cobbler in a cookie? The possibilities are endless now. Baking is how I deal with the stress of my job because, let’s face it, sugar is bliss. I’m so glad you shared this! I can’t wait for this weekend to try it out!
Hi Kimberly, I am thrilled you found my site! I love your idea of combining the cinnamon chips and peaches and hope to hear about your results. Good luck and happy baking!
This recipe looks like the bomb.When I was looking for a chocolate chip raspberry cookie recipe , this one is the one my honey was interested in.We used white. chocolate chips instead. and you can get The raspberries at Trader Joe’s.The dough is in the fridge.Can’t wait to nom nom these!!!
For some reason my cookies don’t spread out. Taste good
Hi Jane, I am thrilled to hear you like the taste however I am sorry to hear that the cookies didn’t spread. I would love to help you troubleshoot, however it is hard to know what could have gone wrong without more details about the ingredients and procedure. I find the baking sheet has a big impact on how the cookies will spread. Did you by chance use a dark, light, or glass cookie sheet? Another thing that comes to mind is that the longer the ingredients are beaten for can get some air incorporated and that will help them to spread more while baking. My first thoughts are that it could have been a combinations of these two things. Feel free to send me an email, and I would love to troubleshoot further with you!
Hello, I made them and my cookies didn’t spread either. They taste good, but didn’t flatten, mine are more of a thick cookie. Look nothing like yours do. I had to make the almond paste from scratch, never again.. oooffff.. Not sure what I did different. I made them two different times, came out the same way both times.
Hi Mollie, I am so sorry to hear they didn’t work out either time for you. I am glad that they taste good, but that is disappointing. I would love to help you troubleshoot, it is hard to know what went wrong exactly without more details about the ingredients and procedure. I find the baking sheet has a big impact on how the cookies will spread. Did you by chance use a dark, light, or glass cookie sheet? Another thing that comes to mind is that the longer the ingredients are beaten for can get some air incorporated and that will help them to spread more while baking. My first thoughts are that it could have been a combinations of these two things. Feel free to email me, and I would love to troubleshoot further with you! Thanks for your feedback!
I was very disappointed in this cookie. The cookie did not flatten as shown in the picture and they were very dry. I bake a lot and have never used corn starch in baking cookies before, could this be the problem? Should it have been baking powder or cream of tarter instead?
Hi Donna, I am sorry to hear that the cookies didn’t work out, That is disappointing! Corn starch in smaller amounts will actually help with the tenderness of the cookie. Since it interacts with some of the protein in the flour it can actually create a nice tender baked good when used. Fun fact, you can actually make your own cake flour by combining all purpose flour and corn starch which is pretty cool! I would love to help you troubleshoot, there are a few reasons that cookies can turn out differently. Some of the first things we look at are what color of pan you used? Was it dark, light, or even a glass pan? Then the second thing we look at is how long you mixed it for? The longer you mix the more air is incorporated which can play a part into how the cookies will spread. Feel free to email me, and I would love to troubleshoot further with you!
This look so delicious my mouth is watering <3
Hi Marie, thank you so much!