Tis the season to stuff our faces. There isn’t a lot of festive cheer thanks to the big C so let’s make the most of the little things. These sweet redcurrant jelly and marzipan cookies are a great last minute bake for when you fancy something sweet and festive inspired. Crisp and buttery with a rich almond taste, these are just the cookies to add a festive flourish to your kitchen table. Finished with icing sugar and lashings of dark chocolate for a little extra indulgence.
When most people think of marzipan, the image of sickly sweet slabs of fruit cake spring to mind. Marzipan, in my humble opinion, is sadly undervalued; often only making an appearance at Christmas. It is a versatile ingredient and in small quantities adds a mature sweet nutty flavour to baked goods. For these biscuits, I have grated the marzipan into the cookie dough where it seamlessly blends into the buttery mixture.
I’ve used redcurrant jelly to sweeten the cookies. Yet another under utilised ingredient – redcurrant jelly is much more than just a condiment. It adds a sweet yet slightly tart taste to foods. I often pair mine with buttery croissants for that perfect mix of sweet and savoury. To make these thumbprint cookies, gently make a well in the marzipan cookie dough and spoon in a small amount of jam until just overflowing. Read my post ‘How to Bake Vegan Cookies’ to help you get the method spot on.
These marzipan cookies are just the treat to get into the Christmas spirit- the dusky red jam and white dusting of the icing sugar sing all things sweet and festive. Enjoy with a warm mug of tea or a cheeky almond Bailey’s coffee for a warming festive treat.
Leave a comment and let me know how you get on making these redcurrant jelly and marzipan cookies. I’d love to see your creations over on instagram!
More festive treats to try…
Redcurrant jelly and marzipan cookies
Ingredients
- 200 g margarine
- 75 g golden caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 300 g plain flour
- 200 g marzipan
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 80 g redcurrant jelly
- 60 g dark chocolate
- 2 tsp icing sugar
Instructions
- Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper. Pre heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas mark 5.
- Add the margarine, sugar and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand whisk to cream the margarine and sugar.
- Sift in the plain flour, baking powder and salt. Fold in the grated marzipan. Then use the electric whisk to beat the the ingredients until well combined and a soft dough has formed.
- Use your hands to mould the dough into 24 small balls. Use your fingers to form a small well in the centre of each ball. Add half a teaspoon of red currant jelly into each cookie.
- Place the baking tray in the centre of the oven and bake for 18 minutes and the cookies have turned a pale golden shade.
- Remove from the oven and leave the cookies on the baking tray for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool. Meanwhile add the chocolate to a small heatproof bowl. Place over a saucepan filled with a 200mls of water. Heat over a low heat until the chocolate has melted. Allow the chocolate to cool for 5 minutes.
- Use a sieve to decorate the cookies with a fine dusting of icing sugar. Then pour the chocolate into a piping bag. Pipe the chocolate over the cookies in a zig zag design. Allow to cool before serving.