Currant, Raisin, Candied Lemon Peel, Almond Cookies

I briefly flirted with the idea of making a sensible short name for this cookie creation. However, monikers such as “Lora’s Lumps of Delight” and “Lora’s Delicious Balls” started to sound suspiciously salacious. So I went with the naming of every add in ingredient label. Sorry if it’s a mouthful.

What the cookies should have been called is Leftover Stollen Ingredients Cookies.  This was one of those accidents that happen way too often in my kitchen. This time it was a happy accident.  Often, when making three or four recipes at once while changing the batch size, sometimes I over measure ingredients, especially when I am translating German recipes. Instead of feeling the sting of wasting food, I try to  get creative with the leftovers.

Recently I was making a Bremer Klaben for an about.com post. Bremer Klaben is a famous style of Stollen originating in Bremen, Germany. I mixed together the add-ins which are: homemade candied lemon peel, raisins, currants and almond leaves. However, I realized too late I had made too much of this mix to add to the stollen.

The rest of it was bagged up and taken to PA to use somehow in weekend baking. I briefly flirted making a quick bread but settled on cookies, adapting the Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie recipe and instead of chocolate chips, I added the mix.

What these cookies are are in real life are a mouthful of goodness, each packing a big flavor punch. Chewy brown sugar dough studded with sweet dark raisins, tart dried currant, sweet sour candied lemon peel and smooth almond leaves. What could be bad about the mistake that caused this deliciousness? Nothing.

Ingredients:

• 2+1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter softened
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup dark raisins
• 3/4 cup dried currants
• 1/2 cup candied lemon peel, chopped (to make you own, click here)
• 3/4 cup almond leaves (blanched or plain)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In another bowl combine the raisins, currants, candied lemon peel and almond leaves ito one mixture.
• Cream the butter and sugars together in a mixer until fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time.
• Ad vanilla.
• Add dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. 
• Wrap dough in plastic cling film and refrigerate overnight.
• Form dough into balls about 1-1+1/2 inch in diameter and place on cookie sheet.
• Bake 8-10 minutes, until the cookies start to turn slightly brown.
• Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cook completely.

Yield: 4 dozen cookies