These Berry Baked Alaska Cookies are a simple twist on the great northern classic. Forest berry-stuffed ice cream sitting atop cranberry shortbread cookies, coated in toasted meringue…could it get any better?
When Bob’s Red Mill reached out to me to create a cookie representing my state of Alaska as part of their United States of Cookies event, I was like “hands-down-sign-me-up-YES!” Alaskans tend to be pretty proud of the tundra they call home (even us expats), so naturally I went all in with Baked Alaska Cookies.
We start with a shortbread base. Bob’s Red Mill organic unbleached all-pupose flour was a must (it’s ultra-versatile and good for all of my baking needs; get a coupon for it here). Whip that into simple cranberry shortbread cookies and you’re on your way to great Alaskan deliciousness.
Next comes the ice cream (or in Alaskan terms, the permafrost?). We’ll scoop it, stuff it with berries (another great Alaskan staple), cover with more ice cream, then set it on a plate to freeze up.
Next stop, meringue town. Get some egg whites, add a pinch of cream of tartar and beat until foamy. Slowly beat in the sugar until you get stiff peaks (the tulip-man likes to hold the bowl upside-down over my head as an indication of stiff peak-ness, or you can just make sure it looks like the photo below). Then we’ll just toast and serve!
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookies
- 1 ¼ stick unsalted butter 142 g, room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup dried cranberries
The Rest
- 6 scoops of vanilla ice cream about 1 quart, 800 g
- ¼ cup fresh or frozen mixed berries
- 4 large egg whites
- Pinch of cream of tartar*
- ⅔ cup sugar
Instructions
Shortbread Cookies
- In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until well combined and a bit fluffy. Sift together the flour and salt, then add to butter mixture, stirring until just combined. Mix in the cranberries, being careful not to overwork the dough.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal parts (or 8 for smaller cookies). Roll each into a ball, then flatten with the palms of your hands. They should be fairly thick and about 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide.
- Place cookies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees F (190 C) for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature before assembling.
The Rest
- While cookies bake, use an ice cream scoop to scoop ice cream. Working quickly, use your finger to make a small hole in the ice cream, fill with mixed berries, then cover with more ice cream to seal. Repeat 6 to 8 times (or for as many cookies as you have), placing scoops on a parchment paper-lined plate. Place in freezer to harden until you’re ready to assemble.
- When your cookies have cooled, and you’re ready to serve the cookies, make our meringue. Beat the egg whites and tartar in a clean, medium bowl using an electric mixer on medium/high (or by hand with a strong helper), until foamy. Slowly beat in the sugar on high speed until you reach glossy, stiff peaks (you should be able to hold the bowl upside down with nothing falling out!).
- Assembly time! If you don’t have a kitchen torch, set your oven to broil and let it preheat. Place a scoop of ice cream on top of a cookie, then spoon (or pipe) the meringue over the ice cream, making sure to seal the edges at the bottom to insulate the ice cream. Either broil for 1 to 2 minutes (watching carefully), or use a kicthen torch to lightly brown the meringue.
Tips & Tricks
- *If you don’t have cream of tartar on hand it’s no the end of the world, it just helps the meringue to be a bit more sturdy.
- You can keep leftovers in the freezer, though they won’t have quite as nice of a texture as they do when freshly made.
Nutrition Information
Thanks again to Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post!
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