Cranberry Almond Bakery Cookies

What’s better than a thick chewy bakery style cookie? NOTHING!! Cranberry Almond Bakery Cookies …..oh yeah!!!

Cranberry Almond Bakery Cookies

I have mentioned before that I used to manage a bakery. Said bakery was in a grocery store, so volume was king. It would have been impossible to make all of the choices from scratch. So, we did what I fondly called fake and bake.

If you can decorate it or add a little something to the flavor it’s a win! Cookies for us came in the form of frozen pucks. All you had to do was put them on a cookie sheet and bake them. They were surprisingly good.

Cranberry Almond Bakery Cookies

But alas, they were not homemade 🙁 These days I do not need to produce in bulk, so creativity and made from scratch are the order of the day.

I love cookies…….sigh! I love cranberries…..sigh! I love almonds……sigh! All three together…….Woot!!

I wanted to make an extra special, bakery style cookie. Big, chewy, and full of flavor. Continue reading “Cranberry Almond Bakery Cookies”

Pina Colada Parfait

Looking for a cool make ahead, summer dessert? Look no further… Pina Colada Parfait !
Pina Colada Parfait

Nothing beats a fresh pineapple. Pineapples have exceptional juiciness and a vibrant tropical flavor that balances the tastes of sweet and tart. Any tropical recipe seems to scream pineapple. Pineapple can go from Savory to sweet with ease. Plus they are super healthy.

Pick a pineapple that is heavy for it’s size, with no soft spots or bruises. If the “eyes” are too dark it may be over ripe. Pineapples stop ripening once they are picked, so pick one that has a sweet smell at the stem end. You can keep pineapple on the counter for a few days…it won’t get any sweeter, but it will get softer and juicier.

Pina Colada Parfait

I crushed my pineapple in the food processor for this recipe. Mine was really juicy and sweet…..yum.

Blending the crushed pineapple with a coconut instant pudding added to the tropical flavor. Make sure to blend the pudding well so you don’t have any dry powder in a bite. A little whipped topping and you have a tropical parfait filling.

Pina Colada Parfait

Now for the crunchy stuff…… I adore coconut macaroon cookies. Sweet, chewy, moist….my mouth is watering just talking about them.

So, I figured they would be and added bonus to the parfaits. Instead of making cookies, I spread the mixture on a parchment lined cookie sheet and baked until still chewy, but with lots of crunch bits.

Parfaits should be kinda fancy, but I made these for a cook out and glass and outdoors do not mix. The Dollar Store to the rescue. They have lots of plastic fancy pants glasses. I chose champagne flutes…..more layers. You could also make this recipe into a trifle if you wanted……good idea for next time!!

Pina Colada Parfait

Place the parfait mixture into a large ziplock bag and snip off the tip. This lets you squeeze the mixture into the glasses with out getting to much on the sides…..gives you nice neat layers.

Alternate layers of the pineapple mixture and the macaroons until the glass it full. Top with whipped topping and garnish with a wedge of pineapple, and a maraschino cherry. Add a little of the macaroon if you desired.

Pina Colada Parfait

These beauties can be made ahead and stored in the frig until you are ready for dessert.
For a tropical dessert that is sure to get rave reviews try Pina Colada Parfait.

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Pina Colada Parfait

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and chunked
  • 1 package (3.4 oz.) Coconut Flavor Instant Pudding
  • 1 cup thawed Whipped Topping
  • ⅓ cup flour
  • 3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ can (7 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • Pineapple wedge, whipped topping, and maraschino cherry for garnish.

Instructions

  1. In a food processor pluse chunks of pineapple to crush.
  2. Mix crushed pineapple and dry pudding mix until well blended. Fold in whipped topping and refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  4. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl & stir well until fully combined
  5. Spread macaroon mixture over parchment paper into an even layer
  6. Bake 8 minutes,stir mixture and return to oven for an additional 8 minutes
  7. or until starting to turn brown
  8. Cool on baking sheet.
  9. To assemble parfaits use decorative glass or plastic glasses that have some depth. I used champagne glasses I purchased at the Dollar store.
  10. Place pineapple mixture in a large plastic ziplock bag and snip off a corner. This makes filling the glasses easier and neater. Squeeze a dollop of the pineapple mixture in the bottom of a glass. Top with macaroon mixture.
  11. Repeat layer until the glass is full. Top with whipped topping, a decorative slice of pineapple, some of the macaroon mixture and a cherry. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

 

Raspberry Kiwi Fruit Cookie

Pretty, easy, delicious, dessert…….that’s Raspberry Kiwi Fruit Cookie.

Raspberry Kiwi Fruit Cookie

Every year my brother has a cookout, and every year I try to make something really good. The cookout is a mixture of family and friends. It’s a once a year, “hey how have you been” ,”we should get together more often”, kinda deal.

Plus it’s all about food….my favorite subject. My brothers friends deep fry a turkey, there are ribs, and brisket, and the list goes on.
Everyone brings a dish to pass and a good time is had by all.

Raspberry Kiwi Fruit Cookie

I try to make two things every year. One savory and one sweet. The Pea Salad recipe form last week was my savory and Raspberry Kiwi Cookie was this years sweet.

Since preparation for the party is a bit time consuming, I need my food to be easy. Done!

Raspberry Kiwi Fruit Cookie

This couldn’t be much simpler. Sugar cookie base, I bought a tube…..how easy is that? I had the idea in my head to make a fruit pizza that might resemble a piece of watermelon. Although it didn’t really turn out that way the dessert is awfully pretty……just saying……

In an effort to look like the afore mentioned watermelon, I used 1/3 of the tube of cookie dough, tinted it green, and put it around the edge of a springform pan. I used the remaining cookie dough to fill in the center and baked it.

Raspberry Kiwi Fruit Cookie

Once cooled it was toppled with a cream, sweet cream cheese, marshmallow fluff, whipped topping mixture.

Kiwi slices line the outside rim, and the center is filled with ripe luscious red raspberries.

A sprinkle of chocolate chips…..dessert is done!

Raspberry Kiwi Fruit Cookie

While I do not think it turned out looking like a slice of watermelon…..it did turn out very pretty, was delicious, and devoured……not a crumb left!

I call that a success!!!

Raspberry Kiwi Fruit Cookie

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Raspberry Kiwi Fruit Cookie

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Yield: 12 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tube sugar cookie dough
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
  • 1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
  • 2 kiwi, peeled, cut in half and sliced
  • 2 pints raspberries
  • Mini chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Line the bottom of a 10 inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper.
  3. Cut off one third of the tube of cookie dough and color with a touch of green food coloring. Roll the colored dough into tubes and press around the outside edge of the pan to form a circle of green. Press remaining dough inside the circle of green to cover the bottom of the pan.
  4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the cookie is starting to turn golden.
  5. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove and set on a cooling rack and cool completely.
  6. Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.Add marshmallow fluff and beat to combine, then add whipped topping and beat to combine.
  7. Spread over top of cookie.