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Thursday, August 15, 2013

Cherry Sugar Cookie Macaroons


Cherry Sugar Macaroons

 


My sister Sue Odren makes a good cookie!  I’m not biased either, she’s actually a finalist in the 2013 Pillsbury Bake Off Contest!  Seriously, for a cookie?!  Yes she is – and I’m really excited for her.  She gets to go to Vegas in November and compete, and well, she’s a bit nervous and a lot excited!

I wasn’t sure what was going on about 4 months ago, I got plenty of phone calls asking about ingredients, and what might taste good together, and frankly it was a bit annoying!  But now….Wow! She did it!  She Really did, and I have to say that this week I helped her with a batch, to get organized for the actual bake off in November, and they are darn good!  Even my husband thought so!

 

She needed to use several Pillsbury ingredients and she chose the Sugar Cookie Dough,  Bakers Flaked Coconut and the Smucker’s Orchard’s Finest Michigan Red Tart Cherry Preserves.  Hey, we are from Michigan and we have the best cherries!

 

I got to her home, and we started getting organized.  I haven’t done any real competition cooking, but I’m familiar with blind baskets, mystery baskets, being in a different kitchen and other people’s ovens!  This is going to be a blast.

 

We started by taking some notes, and then getting into the dough of it!  I helped to stream line a few items and then we were ready to roll.

 

We chopped dried tart cherries; added the macadamia nuts, and then the flaked coconut to the bowl.  Mixed it up well and then added the Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough and vanilla.

 



This is where it got a bit sticky! (pun intended!)  My sister and I made cookies growing up, and well, my Dad didn’t think it was a cookie unless it was several times bigger than the recipe!  I almost failed 9th grade home economics over that one!  I showed her how to use a scoop, then scoop all of the cookies at one time, and then roll them at one time, and we used all the dough, and had all the cookies we needed.

 



Then off to her oven and the baking.  Out of the oven, and waiting, till we could make a “dent” in the cookies for the Cherry Preserves to go in! 

 



This is a delightfully easy recipe, and I hope you try it.  Good for kids, because they can get the sensory feel of ingredients by mixing it up with their hands. 

 

I’m proud of what my sister has done, and I hope she wins, and if she doesn’t, she’s still a winner in my recipe book! 

Sue – I’m going to use your recipe in some of my classes!

 


 

Cherry Sugar Cookie Macaroons

1 roll Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough

¾ cup chopped macadamia nuts

¾ cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherries

1 bag (7oz) sweetened flaked coconut (about 2 ½ cups)

1 cup Smucker’s Orchards’ Finest Michigan Red Tart Cherry Preserves

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line large cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Let cookie dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften

 

In a medium bowl, break up cookie dough.  Add nuts, cherries, coconut and vanilla.  Mix with wooden spoon or knead with hands until well blended.  Shape rounded tablespoonfuls of dough into balls.  Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

 

Bake 15 – 20 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.  Cool 3 minutes.  With back of teaspoon make indentation in center of each cookie.  Spoon 1 teaspoon preserves in each indentation.  Cool completely, about 20 minutes.  Store in covered Container.

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