I really like the combination of pistachios and dried cherries which add some crunch, a tart note as well as a hint of green and red which is oh-so-festive. But these are great cookies without any add-ins. Or feel free to use pecans or almonds. Please don't skimp on the salt or the vanilla extract, these cookies are nothing without them.
Ingredients
2 sticks (225g or 1 cup) of butter, softened
½ cup (70g) icing sugar (plus more for dusting)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
½ cup pistachios, chopped (pecans could work here)
½ cup dried cherries, chopped
1.5 cups (200g) tapioca starch
1 cup (100g) almond flour
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using electric mixer, beat butter and icing sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy.
Then beat in vanilla and salt, then pistachios and cherries.
Using spatula, stir in all flour.
Chill dough in fridge for at least 30 minutes (this is very important!)
Shape dough by small tablespoonfuls into football-shaped ovals (the smaller the ovals, the more they hold together).
Place on prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies until bottoms just begin to turn golden, about 15 minutes.
Cool cookies on sheets 10 minutes. The place a generous amount of powdered sugar into medium bowl. Working with 5 or 6 warm cookies at a time, add cookies to bowl of sugar; gently turn to coat thickly. Transfer cookies to a plate or cookie rack or sheet of parchment paper. Repeat to coat cookies with sugar again; cool completely.
**Do ahead: Can be made several days ahead, just store airtight at room temperature. I have also made them several weeks ahead and frozen them. Just roll them in icing sugar again once they're out of the freezer.
Recipe by Marilene Caetano at https://www.marilenecaetano.com/mexican-wedding-cakes/