We interrupt this summer of fresh flavors do to a year-round recipe: Roasted Cashew Chocolate Heart Cookies. Based on a recipe for peanut butter cookies, I thought I’d swap out the type of nut butter. This does not always work well. Some nuts have greater protein or more or less oil than others, so it’s not exactly a precise science. In fact, I ended up having the add an additional half cup of flour to make this come together correctly, and even so, they spread more than I would have liked. That said, they *taste* even better to me than peanut butter cookies. Yum Yum!
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup creamy cashew butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
for the glaze and decoration
8 ounces dark chocolate
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1/2 cup lightly salted roasted cashews, finely chopped
You will also need a heart mini-cookie stamp, such as this one:
http://www.fancyflours.com/product/Mini-Heart-Cookie-Stamp/s
Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add in the cashew butter and vanilla and beat until smooth; about 2 minutes. Add in both sugars and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed, another 2 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Turn mixer off. Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the ingredients together lightly before turning the mixer back on low and mixing in the dry ingredients until just combined. Be sure not to over mix here. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Scoop two tablespoon sized mounds of dough onto the prepared cookie sheet. Use the cookie stamp to imprint the cookies. Return to the fridge for another hour, otherwise the imprint will go away when you start to bake.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers have set. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
In a metal bowl set over a simmering pot of water, melt the chocolate and vegetable shortening. Let cool slightly, then fill into a squirt bottle or ziplock bag and cut off the tiniest of corners. Fill in the hearts of the cookies with the chocolate and sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Let set on the counter until completely hardened.
