Description
Sweet and Guilt-Free Black Forest Christmas Cookies to Wow!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (Can substitute with gluten-free blend.)
- 0.5 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (Can swap with carob powder.)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (Ensure freshness.)
- 0.5 teaspoon salt (A pinch of sea salt can elevate taste.)
- 0.5 cups unsalted butter (Can substitute with vegan butter.)
- 0.67 cups granulated sugar (Consider brown sugar for deeper flavor.)
- 0.33 cups light brown sugar (Dark brown sugar can be used.)
- 1 large egg (Can use a flax egg for vegan version.)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Use pure vanilla for best results.)
- 0.5 teaspoon almond extract (Can swap with more vanilla.)
- 1 cup maraschino cherries (Fresh cherries are a great alternative.)
- 0.5 cups cherry preserves (Can use raspberry or strawberry preserves.)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (Arrowroot powder is a good alternative.)
- 1 tablespoon Kirsch (cherry liqueur) (Can replace with cherry juice.)
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate (Dark chocolate can be used.)
- 0.5 cups heavy cream (Coconut cream is a good dairy-free substitute.)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (for ganache) (Can omit for vegan recipes.)
- white chocolate shavings/Sprinkles/Powdered sugar (Optional for decoration.)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and ½ teaspoon of salt until well combined.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together ½ cup of unsalted butter, ⅔ cup of granulated sugar, and ⅓ cup of light brown sugar in a large bowl for about 3-5 minutes.
- Beat in 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon of almond extract until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Divide the cookie dough in half, flatten each half into discs, and tightly wrap them. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup of chopped maraschino cherries, ½ cup of cherry preserves, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Cook for about 3-5 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare your baking sheets.
- Once the dough is chilled, roll it out and use cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes.
- Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes.
- In a heatproof bowl, heat ½ cup of heavy cream until boiling, then pour over 8 oz of chopped semi-sweet chocolate. Stir until smooth, adding 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter.
- Spread ganache on half of the cooled cookies, top with cherry filling, and sandwich with remaining cookies.
- Drizzle remaining ganache on top and sprinkle with white chocolate shavings or powdered sugar. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Notes
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg