I am sharing another favorite Christmas cookie with you today. It just wouldn't be Christmas without some of these delicious Walnut Cherry Slices on the cookie tray!
Short, crisp, buttery and studded with plenty of red and green candied cherries and toasted walnuts. No, you are not going blind. There are no walnuts in my cookies.
I left them out this time because my family here in Nova Scotia are not overly fond of them! I added extra cherries in their place!
These cookies are very much a holiday tradition here in the Maritimes, and something which I grew up with. They have a lovely texture very similar to a short bread cookie with lots of bits of sweet cherries in them.
I always try to use both red and green cherries, which really gives them a festive look! I would never ice these as it would make them far too sweet for my liking. I do, personally, like toasted walnuts in them, but . . . you know.
One thing I like about these is that you can make the dough well ahead of time, shape it into the roll, (ready for slicing) and then freeze until you need or want to bake them. This dough will keep well, frozen for up to three months.
You can also keep it wrapped in the refrigerator for a week or so, ready to slice and bake as and when you want them.
They really make a beautiful show on the Christmas Cookie tray, especially if you use both red and green cherries. In terms of ease, these are quite simply one of my favorite cookies to bake.
But then I am a huge fan of the slice and bake cookie. My Washboard Cookies are a slice and bake cookie as are my Mom's Butterscotch Cookies.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE WALNUT CHERRY SLICES
Very simple baking ingredients. You probably have everything but the glace cherries and those can easily be purchased at the shops.
- 1 cup (240g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (130g) sifted icing sugar
- 1 large free-range egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 (315g) cups plain all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (116g) chopped toasted walnuts (my family is not overly fond of walnuts, so I just add extra cherries)
- 2 cups (450g) chopped candied cherries
Glace cherries (also known as candied cherries) are fresh cherries that have been simmered in a thick sugar syrup until they are "candied." Cherries have been preserved in this way since the 14th century.
They can be found in the grocery store along with any other candied fruit that might be used in making fruit cakes.
If you are using walnuts (and I love them with walnuts myself), do toast them. You will find the flavor of the nuts is so much better when they are toasted.
You can either do this in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or you can spread them out on a baking sheet and toast them in a moderate oven (350*F/180*C) for 5 to 10 minutes. Leave them to cool before using.
Keep a watch on them as they can go from perfect to burnt in seconds.
As with any ingredients you are going to use in baking, it is better that they all be at room temperature. This ensures a much more even and reliable result. This goes for butter, eggs, milk, flour, etc.
HOW TO MAKE WALNUT CHERRY SLICES
Nothing could be easier.
Cream the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well incorporatedBeat in the flour until well combined, and then fold in the chopped cherries and nuts (if using). Use a wooden spoon to stir these through the cookie dough and be gentle so as not to break them up too much.Turn the dough out onto a sheet of non-stick baking or wax paper. Shape into a long log, about 18 inches in length. Roll the log in the paper, twisting the ends tightly. Wrap again in plastic wrap.Refrigerate for one hour if you are planning to bake on the day. You can refrigerate the cookie dough for 3-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. (If frozen, remove dough from freezer and allow to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes and continue with the following steps.)
When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 325*F/165*C/ gas mark 3. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and set it aside.
Unwrap the cookie log. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 1/4-inch-thick slices.Lay the slices onto the prepared baking sheet leaving an inch of space in between cookies. Bake for 12 minutes or until the bottom edge of the cookies has turned golden brown.Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container.
These really are one of my favorite Christmas cookies. Don't be tempted to use maraschino cherries to make these. They are not the same as glace cherries. In the US if you are having a problem finding them a very popular brand is Paradise, and these can be found online on Amazon.
Don't worry about using them up. I have lots of recipes on here where you will be able to use them, and they are not all Christmas recipes.
Some of those recipes are:
ROCKY ROAD BROWNIES - Rocky Road Brownies are a glorious amalgamation of dense and fudgy, filled with toasted nuts, candied cherries and loads of chocolate flavor. Topped with a fudgy icing and mini marshmallows. CHERRY AND VANILLA SCONES - Buttery and light and perfect split and filled with jam and cream. Delicious served with a nice hot cup of tea, herbal or otherwise.
Yield: 30 cookiesAuthor: Marie Rayner
Walnut Cherry Slices
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 12 MinInactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 27 MYou can prepare the dough for these delicious Christmas cookies ahead of time and freeze. (Up to a month in advance.) When ready to bake, just slice and bake until done. It wouldn't be Christmas without these! Plan ahead as the dough for these needs to chill for at least an hour. (I prefer overnight, myself.)Ingredients
- 1 cup (240g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (130g) sifted icing sugar
- 1 large free-range egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 (315g) cups plain all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (116g) chopped toasted walnuts (my family is not overly fond of walnuts, so I just add extra cherries)
- 2 cups (450g) chopped candied cherries
Instructions
- Cream the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well incorporated
- Beat in the flour until well combined, and then fold in the chopped cherries and nuts (if using). Use a wooden spoon to stir these through the cookie dough and be gentle so as not to break them up too much.
- Turn the dough out onto a sheet of non-stick baking or wax paper. Shape into a long log, about 18 inches in length. Roll the log in the paper, twisting the ends tightly. Wrap again in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for one hour if you are planning to bake on the day. You can refrigerate the cookie dough for 3-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. (If frozen, remove dough from freezer and allow to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes and continue with the following steps.)
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 325*F/165*C/ gas mark 3. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Unwrap the cookie log. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
- Lay the slices onto the prepared baking sheet leaving an inch of space in between cookies. Bake for 12 minutes or until the bottom edge of the cookies has turned golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Store in an airtight container.
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