12 Days of Cookies: Bake From Scratch’s Rolled Sugar Cookies with Brandy Soaked Apricots

This year, we found the best cookies on the web for our 12 Days of Cookies, with today’s cookie being Bake From Scratch’s Rolled Sugar Cookies with Brandy Soaked Apricots.

The Bakers: Brian Hart Hoffman and Brooke Bell are the founders of the popular seasonal baking magazine, Bake From Scratch.  They also run the ever-popular Instagram handle, @thebakefeed, where people can hashtag their #TheBakeFeed creations. 

Why Love It: Brian and Brooke’s twist on a classic includes dried apricots softened with brandy which imparts a slightly floral note to the fruit. Crème fraîche adds an unexpected yet welcome bit of tang to an otherwise sweet cookie. A sprinkling of pearl sugar is a welcome twist to turbinado sugar at the end.

Rolled Sugar Cookies with Brandy Soaked Apricots

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup (2 3/4 oz./85 g) diced dried apricots
• 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) brandy
• 1/3 cup (2 1/2 oz./76 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (4 3/4 oz./150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup (4 oz./120 g) crème fraîche
• 2 1/2 cups (10 oz./313 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup (6 1/2 oz./200 g) pearl sugar, such as Lars Own Swedish Pearl Sugar

Directions

1. In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the dried apricots and brandy and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until almost all of the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat together the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed just until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks and egg and beat until blended. Add the crème fraîche and beat until combined.

3. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Gently stir in the cooled apricots. The dough will be sticky. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. Place the pearl sugar in a small bowl. Using a 1 1/2-Tbs. scoop, scoop out the dough and roll into balls. (If the dough is sticky, you can dampen your hands with water before rolling the balls.) Roll the balls in the pearl sugar and place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Flatten the cookies slightly with the palm of your hand.

6. Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until they are set but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks and let cool completely. Makes about 24 cookies.

Follow along on our blog for 12 days of Christmas cookies, and head to our Holiday Headquarters for more recipes, gift ideas, and supplies for all your holiday entertaining needs.