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Iconic star-shaped Italian cookies from our book Best Cookies are infused with kirsch and cream to add richness and depth.

Find this recipe in our cookbook, SAVEUR: Italian Comfort Food

Cherry–Almond Star Cookies Cherry–Almond Star Cookies
Piped into a star shape, these iconic Italian cookies, topped with a maraschino cherry half, are infused with kirsch and cream to add richness and depth.
Yield: makes about 4 dozen

Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 12 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3⁄4 cup almond paste
  • 2 eggs
  • 1⁄4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp. kirsch
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • Maraschino cherries

Instructions

  1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside. In a medium bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed of a mixer until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes; set aside. In a large bowl, beat almond paste on medium-high speed of a mixer until smooth; add 1⁄4 of the butter-sugar mixture and beat until smooth. Add remaining butter-sugar mixture and beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until evenly combined. Add cream, kirsch, and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined.
  2. Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a 1⁄2” star tip, and pipe 2″ mounds of dough onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spaced 2″ apart. Halve maraschino cherries, and place a cherry half over the center of each cookie; chill cookies for 30 minutes.
  3. Heat oven to 375°. Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through cooking, until lightly browned, about 14 minutes. Let cool before serving.

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