Pre heat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone mat.

Take the room temperature butter in a mixing bowl attached to stand mixer. Cream the butter until it is light and creamy for 2 minutes. Slowly add the sugar and beat it until it is light and fluffy.

Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add eggs one at a time and beat well until mixture is smooth. Add in the flavorings like orange zest, cinnamon or cardamom powder, vanilla extract etc. Add in the dry ingredients flour, almond meal, salt, and baking powder and mix until just combined. Stir in the nuts and candied fruits, cherries with the help of spatula.

Mix well to divide them equally in the dough. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 2 equal portions in a log shape.

The log should be shaped in the length of your baking sheet about 2 inches in diameter. Place the logs on the baking sheet. I used two baking sheets, as the logs bake, they spread slightly, and you don’t want them to touch each other. But if you decide to use one sheet make sure to leave about 2-inch space between two logs.

Bake for about 25 minutes until the logs look slightly browned on top. Remove them from oven. Let them cool down on wire rack for 7-10 minutes. Very important to let them cool down.

Transfer the log to cutting board, cut them diagonally into slices about 2 inches wide and 2 inches thick. Transfer the slices, place cut side down on the baking sheet and bake again for 10-15 minutes until the edges look lightly brown. Let the cookies cool down on a wire cooling rack.

Once they are completely cool, you can place them in air-tight container.