Great news, guys! The universe gave my plan to get more sleep a giant cosmic high-five.
Shortly after I posted about my resolution to sleep more and work less, I was stricken with the flu-flu, which is the clever name I just coined for when the influenza-flu and the stomach-flu get together and have a demon baby, which quickly invades with the wrath of a thousand angry samurai warriors. No sooner had I written, “Waaah, I want to sleep! I want to have time to read books like a fancy person!” than I was collapsed in a whimpering, sweaty mess on the sofa, wishing for sweet death and pressing “play” on another episode of Sesame Street for my poor neglected child. It was gnarly. Do not mess with the flu-flu.
So, whether I wanted to or not, I had plenty of time to lay around and sleep and attempt to read. Thanks, universe! Fortunately, I’m almost-kinda-mostly recovered, and even more fortunately, I made and photographed some things before the black plague struck my house, so we have a beautiful recipe to drool over today! May I present, for your drooling pleasure, Raspberry Almond Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
As regular readers might know, I’m more than a little obsessed with freeze-dried fruit, especially raspberries. (Please see Exhibits A, B, and C). They just do such an amazing job of imparting bold raspberry flavor, without any of the excess liquid problems fresh or frozen raspberries can create, that I want to stick them in everything. Yes, even meatloaf. Deal with it.
So it had been my plan to add my favorite freeze-dried raspberries
The almond paste
Enjoy, kittens! And watch out for that flu-flu.
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 butter at room temperature
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 9 oz all-purpose flour (2 cups)
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
This recipe requires almond paste, which is often found in the baking aisle near the marzipan. It can also be purchased online. If you would like to try making your own, here is a recipe for homemade almond paste you can make from scratch. Whichever type of almond paste you choose, make sure that it is soft, like play-doh, not hard, dried up, or crusty.
As written, the cookies will have a subtle but noticeable almond flavor. If you prefer a stronger almond taste, add 1/2 tsp almond extract to the recipe when you add the vanilla extract.
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!
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!