No Christmas or holiday for that matter without cookies! As early as October people (like me) start planning this year’s cookie selection. And that’s not an easy task. First, there are all the traditional recipes from your mum and grandma that are a must on the cookies platter. And then there are a ton of inspiring new creations from cookbooks and Instagram posts that end up on a what feels like endless to-bake list. In the end, I decided to go for a mix of traditional cookies like these almond biscotti and some more trendy creations like these matcha gingerbread cookies from last year.
To add something new this year, I decided to try a recipe that combines both tradition and more modern flavors: walnut quinoa macaroons with cranberries. It’s a German recipe where “macaroons” (Makronen) are a very traditional type of Christmas cookies. They are not the well-known delicate French cookies, but rather a more rustic version of it. Typically they come with shredded coconut or almonds, but these walnut quinoa macaroons with cranberries use some more interesting flavors.
The great thing about “Makronen” is, that they are super easy to make. No cookie cutting, no resting time. You just beat the egg whites, fold in the remaining ingredients, and place little balls on your baking sheet. Done!
Since you want your Christmas cookies to look pretty as well, drizzle them with some dark chocolate. Store them in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. If they are too hard, add a slice of apple to the container and wait for another day and they should be smooth again.
Happy baking!
Love,
Marion
Walnut Quinoa Macaroons with Cranberries
A traditional German Christmas cookie with a modern twist.
Ingredients
- 2 organic egg whites
- 100 g icing sugar
- 240 g walnuts, toasted
- 100 g cranberries
- 50 g puffed quinoa
- 60 g dark chocolate
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat the oven to 150°C/ 300°F.
- Step 2 Place the walnuts and cranberries in a food processor and chop finely.
- Step 3 In a medium sized bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the icing sugar while continue whisking on medium speed.
- Step 4 Using a spatula, gently fold in the walnut cranberry mixture and the puffed quinoa. Try to knock out as little air as possible.
- Step 5 Using your hands, roll little balls (walnut-size) and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. They are done when you can easily lift them up without any dough sticking to the parchment paper. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Step 6 Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan with simmering water. Once the chocolate is melted, transfer the chocolate to a piping bag and decorate cookies.
- Step 7 You can store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. If the cookies are very hard, add a slice of apple to the container – it will soften the cookies within 1 day.
