Cranberry Cherry Ribbon Cookies

Cookies and Bars, Dessert | December 18, 2014 | By

Cranberry-Cherry Ribbon Cookies on marble board

You need to try these fun to make cookies!  I got this recipe from a book I bought several years ago called The All American Cookie Book by Nancy Baggett.  This book has been one of my favorites and I have a TON of cookbooks!  Her recipes are all perfect, you seriously can’t go wrong whatever you choose to bake from it and her photos are gorgeous, but what I love the most is the history of each recipe and where it comes from.  She also has the most entertaining excerpts from very old cookbooks when they were using wood burning stoves to get their baking done!  For instance some of the kitchen wisdom that comes from Estelle Woods Wilcox from the book Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping, 1880 is this; “Many test their ovens in this way: if the hand can be held in the oven from twenty to thirty-five seconds (while counting twenty or thirty-five), it is a ‘quick’ oven, from thirty-five to forty-five seconds is ‘moderate,’ and for forty-five to sixty seconds is ‘slow.’ ”  Can you imagine cooking like that?!  I LOVE little glimpses into the past like this though! 

Cranberry-Cherry Ribbon Cookies with spoon

This recipe involves placing alternating layers of cranberry-cherry filling and vanilla dough in a loaf pan and freezing the stack until firm.  The frozen loaf is cut crosswise into three long blocks, which are than cut lengthwise into pretty red and white striped ribbons and then baked. 

Cranberry-Cherry Ribbons Cookies

 These cookies have a great chewy-crispy texture and an exceptional fruit flavor and keep very well.  The tart-sweet flavors are perfect together! 

Cranberry-Cherry Ribbon Cookies offcenter

Cranberry Cherry Ribbon Cookies
Yields 50
A delicious tart-sweet icebox cookie that you layer in a loaf pan for perfect ribbon-like cookies.
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Cranberry-Cherry Filling
  1. Generous 3/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries
  2. Generous 1/3 cup cherry jam or preserves
  3. 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  4. 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
Dough
  1. 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose white flour
  2. 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  3. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  4. 3/4 cups sugar
  5. 1 stick plus 2 2/3 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened
  6. 1 large egg
  7. 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  8. 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
For The Filling
  1. In a food processor, process the cranberries, jam or preserves, and sugar until coarsely pureed.
  2. Transfer the mixture to a small, heavy saucepan.
  3. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it just comes to a boil; immediately remove from the heat.
  4. Let stand until cooled slightly.
  5. Stir in the almond extract.
  6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until well chilled, or freeze for 30 minutes to speed chilling. (The filling may be refrigerated for up to 4 days; return to room temperature and stir before using.)
For The Dough
  1. In a medium bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the sugar and butter until well blended and smooth.
  3. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat until well blended.
  4. Beat or stir in the flour mixture just until evenly incorporated. Let the dough stand for 10 minutes, or until firmed up slightly.
  5. Line a 4 x 8 inch loaf pan with aluminum foil, letting the foil overhang the long sides by about 3 inches; this will keep the plastic wrap surrounding the dough from sticking to the pan. On top of the foil, line the pan with two long sheets of plastic wrap laid crosswise, overlapping in the middle and overhanging the longer sides by about 4 inches.
  6. Divide the dough into quarters. Working on a large sheet of wax paper, roughly pat each portion into the pan bottom, forming a smooth, even layer.
  7. Using a rubber spatula (or your fingers 🙂 ) spread 1/3 of the filling over the dough in the pan; the filling may seem stiff but spread it as evenly as possible. Repeat the layers using all four dough portions and filling.
  8. Fold the plastic wrap over the dough. Freeze until the loaf is cold and very firm, at least 1 1/2 hours and preferably longer. The dough can be transferred to an airtight plastic bag and frozen for up to 1 month.
  9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease several baking sheets or coat with non-stick spray.
  10. Carefully peel the plastic wrap from the loaf. Using a large, sharp knife carefully cut the loaf cross-wise into thirds. Working with one block at a time keeping the others refrigerated, cut each third into 1/4 inch thick slices; wiping the kife clean between cuts if needed. Using a spatula, carefully transfer the slices to the baking sheets, placing them cut side up about 2 inches apart.
  11. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time in the upper third of the oven for 9 to 14 mintues, or until just slightly darker at the edges. Reverse the sheet from front to back halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Using a spatula, immediately transfer the cookies to wire racks. Let stand until completely cooled.
Notes
  1. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month.
Adapted from The All American Cookie Book
Adapted from The All American Cookie Book
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