Fruit Spread Almonettes

I went to Costco recently and bought a giant jar of Bonne Maman Four Fruits spread. I mean, it’s a LOT of spread. If you haven’t had it, though, you should try it – it’s absolutely delicious.

Rather than just spreading it on crackers (and definitely not eating it directly out of the jar), I thought that they would be great in cookies, just like you use raspberry or strawberry spreads.

I’ve never made almonettes, so I thought the combination would work, and it definitely does!

Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, brought to room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
1 T + 1 ½ t almond extract
1 T vanilla
4 ½ cups flour
1 t baking powder
½ t salt
½ t allspice
1 cup sliced almonds, chopped

Filling

1 8 oz package, cream cheese, softened to room temperature
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 T almond extract
¼ cup fruit spread*

I used Bonne Maman Four Fruits spread (which by the way is awesome). The traditional filling would use raspberry, but you can also use strawberry, boysenberry or pretty much any berry spread that strikes your fancy.

Directions

We’ll start with the cookies.

Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and mix until nice and fluffy – probably 5 minutes. Add in the eggs and mix again until fully combined. Then add in the oil, almond extract and vanilla and mix again until well combined. Set aside.

In a separate bowl add the flour, baking powder, salt and allspice and whisk until well blended. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, beating as you go.

Place your chopped almonds in a small bowl. Roll your dough into balls about the size of ping pong balls. Since we’re making sandwich cookies here, make sure to try and make each ball about the same size because you’re going to have to pair the cookies up. Press one side into the chopped almonds. Don’t roll the whole ball in the almonds, just about half of it.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper and place the balls on the paper, almond side up, 6 to a sheet. Flatten each slightly with the palm of your hand.

Bake for about 9 – 11 minutes at 350, or until the edges and bottoms are a nice golden brown. Remove the sheets from the oven and let the cookies rest there for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cookies are cool you can make the filling (do NOT fill the cookies until they are cool, otherwise the filling will get all melty and gross).

To make the filling add the cream cheese, powdered sugar and almond extract to a bowl and mix until well blended.

Pair up your cookies, spread your cream cheese blend on one side and your fruit spread on the other and put them together. Store these in the fridge until you’re ready to eat them.