Easy Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bites

Easy Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bites. These little treats are super cute and so simple to make. These bite-sized goodies are also really hard to resist. Once you start popping, it is hard to stop! They are also easy to make ahead, which makes them perfect for a brunch or other get-together.

Another recipe that uses freeze-dried fruits is my strawberry sugar cookie bars. These need to make it to your baking list soon!

Why Make These?

Well, there are quite a few reasons, but let me give you my favorites. Let's start with the flavor. Raspberry, Almond, and shortbread were meant to be together. The flavors just play so well together.

Next, is the texture. I love the texture of a shortbread cookie. It can hold its own but is also surprisingly tender. Let's also address the cuteness factor. I mean, how adorable are these bite-sized treats? Really adorable.

Another thing, they freeze well. I froze this batch I photographed and snacked on them throughout the next week.

Ingredients

• Butter—make sure to soften before using. Room temp butter mixes well with the sugar for little air pockets that will lighten the finished cookies. Trust me, you want this. If you are vegan or dairy-free, you can use plant-based butter instead.
• Granulated Sugar- You can also use brown sugar or coconut sugar, but I prefer the texture and flavor the granulated gives. I do not recommend liquid sweeteners as it changes the texture and consistency completely.
• Almond Extract—you can leave this out if you prefer, however, it complements the raspberry flavor and gives dimension to your bites.
• All-purpose flour- My favorite bakes are always a combination of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. I love to add a healthier touch with the addition of whole-grain flours. I find my family and friends prefer the mix of both types of flour.
• Whole wheat pastry flour - You can use any type of flour you want here, but let me just recommend whole wheat pastry. It is a lower protein flour and will produce a much lighter texture and crumb. I almost always use it for my cookie recipes.
• Freeze-dried Raspberries—this is where the main flavor comes from in these cookies. The freeze-dried berries have an intense flavor that is so perfect for these cookies!!
• Cornstarch—I love to use cornstarch as it gives a “melt in your mouth” kind of texture to your bites. I use it for a lot of cookies and if you haven't tried it yet, you need to!
• Salt- Just a pinch, but even that pinch brings out flavors.

How To Make

• Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper before starting.
• Pulse the freeze-dried raspberries in a food processor until it is a powder. Set this aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, and cornstarch. Mix well and set it aside.
• There are several ways you can mix your shortbread. I chose to mix mine in a food processor just because I had already used it to grind up the raspberries. You could use a hand or stand mixer; you might even be so ambitious to use a wooden spoon to hand mix it. Just make sure to evenly distribute your ingredients. 
• With that in mind, add the butter and sugar together. Mix well. Next, add the almond extract. Pulse to combine. To this add the flour mixture, again pulsing well to combine.
• Next, I like to mix in the powdered raspberry by hand. This gives the cookies a marbled look that I think looks cool. If you don't want to do this, go ahead and throw it in the food processor and pulse to combine.
• Press into your 9x13 pan. Cut the cookies into bite-sized pieces. Chill for at least an hour or 2.
• Preheat your oven.
• Using the parchment, lift the cookies from the pan. Space them out on the parchment-lined baking sheet2.
• Bake for 7-10 minutes. It will not take long.
• Remove from the oven and they are ready to go!

Notes

• As noted above, if you want to go for a vegan version of this recipe, the swap is simple. Use plant-based butter instead of regular butter.
• Chilling your cookies before baking does a few things. The first is it chills the dough, making it less likely to spread so much when it is baked. Another thing it does is to hydrate the flours, this makes a difference with whole wheat flours.
• One of the nice things about these bites is you can make the dough up to 24 hours in advance keeping it in your fridge. If you choose to make your dough ahead of time, you may also freeze it. If you do this, make sure to bring the dough out ahead of time to thaw and pull it apart before baking. 
• You can also use freeze-dried strawberries in place of raspberries. They would have as strong a berry flavor as the raspberries though.
• Make sure not to overbake these cookies. This really is key to baking the best cookie.
• I love to use the blend of all-purpose flour and whole wheat pastry flour for these cookies. You get the health benefits of using whole wheat flour, but the consistency and flavor you want with the blend of all-purpose.
• These cute little bites are delicious and adorable. Wrap them in a dainty ribbon and cellophane or a tiny tin! Whichever you choose, they are sure to bring a smile to your friend or coworker’s face! 

Why Freeze-Dried Raspberries?

When you freeze-dry any fruit, it intensifies its flavor. Along with more flavor, you end up with more nutrients as well. Freeze-dried fruits hold up to 90% of their original nutritional value.

Freeze-dried fruit is ideal for baking as it does not add any excess moisture to your batter. Your freeze-dried raspberries will even plump a little, in baking, and be delightfully chewy. In this recipe, you will grind up the freeze-dried raspberries and use the powder for your bites.

Other Dessert Recipes

• Thick Raspberry Sauce
• Lemon Chiffon Layer Cake
• Maple Roasted Plums
• Shortbread Cookies With Edible Flowers
• Homemade Coconut Clusters