As I write this, a post about sweets, I’m thinking to myself please don’t have any cavities. Today is another day at the dentist. As if you really needed to know that ha! But I do love my sweets, especially chocolate. However, these cookies have no chocolate, but hints of cinnamon and nutmeg which are welcomed flavors as the weather gets cooler. These cookies are made with dried apricots, pecans, and almonds. Very simple, but oh so tasty. Your kitchen will be filled with cinnamon in the air as the cookies bake. Now for the ever so dreadful walk to the dentist in the rain.

These are Turkish dried apricots which are darker than other apricots because they are dried directly under the sunlight without sulfur dioxide. Apricots dried with sulfur dioxide have a bright yellow-orange color and a longer shelf life. Highly recommend the Turkish apricots if you can find them.

I used Planter’s roasted almonds and chopped them. Again, I already had them on hand. You could also use sliced or slivered almonds, but I think whole roasted almonds add more of a crunch. I used pecan halves and chopped them as well.

The dough is very sticky and will need to be refrigerated before baking. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap and spoon the dough on it, shaping it into a log.

Wrap it up like a tootsie roll and refrigerate for 2 hours. If you can’t wait to eat these cookies, freeze the dough for 1 hour instead. I kind of took the short cut myself.

Chilling the dough makes it easier to slice and bake.

These cookies will spread out and flatten when they bake. The cookie itself is soft. The apricots add a chewy texture, and the nuts give it a crunch. Grab a glass a milk and enjoy!

Apricot Nut Cookies
adapted from Giada at Home

makes 16 cookies

Soft cookies with chewy, dried apricots and crunchy pecans and almonds with hints of cinnamon. The dough will need to be refrigerated for 2 hours or 1 hour in the freezer before baking.

Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions
In a large bowl, add the butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the ingredients together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg. Gradually beat in the flour until just blended. Stir in the apricots, almonds, and pecans to combine. Dough will be sticky.

Spoon the dough onto plastic saran wrap. Wrap the dough, shaping the dough into a log about 10-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Refrigerate for 2 hours or freeze for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or 1 baking sheet and bake in batches.

Cut the dough crosswise into 1/2 inch-thick slices. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets. Make sure to space them out 1 to 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the cookies are golden around the edges. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container.