Big Craggly Stollen Cookies

Makes about 12 big cookies

1 cup (226 grams) cold very-good-quality, ideally European-style, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 1/2 cup (300 grams) granulated sugar

Zest of 1 small orange

2 large cold eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract 

3 cups (390 grams) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Pinch of ground cloves

Pinch of allspice

1/3 cup  (53 grams) dried cherries

1/3 cup  (53 grams) golden raisins

1 cup (128 grams) roasted pistachios, unsalted, coarsely chopped

7 ounces (198 grams) almond paste, chopped into 3/4” pieces

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, mix together the butter, sugar, and orange zest on low until just combined and pasty, 1 to 2 minutes. A few butter bits that are still intact are totally okay. You want to avoid beating any unnecessary air into this mixture so the end result is extra dense and delightful. Add the eggs one at a time, continuing to mix on low until they’re just incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula, and then mix in the vanilla and almond extracts. The mixture will look curdled and weird; it’s supposed to look this way. Stop the mixer and add the flour. Sprinkle the salt, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and allspice evenly over the flour and give the dry ingredients a rough little whisk to combine, then turn the mixer on low to incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. When the dry ingredients are mostly incorporated, add the dried cherries, raisins, pistachios, and almond paste and mix just to combine. Use the spatula to scrape down the sides as necessary to ensure all the ingredients get combined evenly.

Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. This pan needs to fit in the freezer, so if you can make room for a standard half sheet pan, use that; otherwise go with a smaller sheet pan for now and plan to transfer the cookies to a half sheet pan to bake. Scoop the dough into heaping ⅓ cup (about 100 gram) balls and flatten them slightly into disks. Place them on the sheet pan, spacing them evenly apart. Freeze for at least 2 hours or up to 3 months. If you plan to bake these within a day, there’s no need to cover the pan, but if you plan to keep the dough frozen for longer, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. If you froze the cookie dough disks on a small sheet pan, transfer them to two parchment-lined half sheet pans, spacing them evenly apart. Bake until the bottoms are golden and the tops are lightly golden on top; begin checking for doneness at 22 minutes. If you have an instant-read thermometer handy, aim for an internal temperature of around 170°F. Let cool on the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack and/or your mouth. Dust heavily with powdered sugar.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature. These are best within a few days of baking. After that they’ll be okay for a few more days, but if you think you won’t finish the batch in that time, I’d recommend keeping unbaked disks of dough in the freezer and baking one or two at a time whenever the craving strikes.