Before anything else, I blitzed the freeze‑dried raspberries in my food processor until they turned into a fine, fragrant powder. This concentrated berry dust is what gives these cookies their beautiful color and authentic fruit taste without extra moisture.
I combined the raspberry powder with flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, I creamed the softened butter and cream cheese together until silky, then added sugar, egg, vanilla, and optional almond extract. This mix became fluffy and so fragrant before adding the dry ingredients.
Once all ingredients were mixed, I divided the dough, rolled each half out to about ¼‑inch thickness on lightly floured parchment, and layered them for chilling. This chill step is essential, because it helps the cookies hold their shape during baking and prevents spreading.
After the chill, I preheated the oven to 350°F (177°C), cut shapes with cookie cutters, and placed them on prepared baking sheets. They baked for about 12–13 minutes until the edges were just turning golden — perfect!
Once cooled, I dipped some in melted chocolate and drizzled others with white chocolate, finishing with a sprinkle of extra raspberry powder. The colors are stunning and the flavors blend beautifully.