Almond Cookies

 

I usually like to bake myself a little treat to enjoy at the weekend.  Sometimes it will be a cake and at other times it will be cookies, or even muffins.  I had spied this almond cookie recipe on a blog called In Bloom Bakery earlier this week and was really keen to bake them for myself.

I love LOVE almond cookies, and as soon as I saw the recipe I was all in.  A crisp almond cookie base.  An almond frangipane filling.  Topped with flaked almonds that get all toasty when baked.

What's not to love about a cookie like this!

  

Crispy edged, buttery, and super chewy.  I'm in!  

Loads of almond flavors, from the use of ground almonds in both the cookie and the frangipane filling, the almond extract (again in both) and then the flaked almonds on top.  I'm in!

Super simple and easy to make without a lot of faff.  I'm in again!

In short . . .  I'm in!  All the way. I think you will be as well!  If you are a fan of almond croissants, or almond cakes, tarts, muffins, etc. then you best be prepared to fall in love.  Get ready to be bowled over!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ALMOND COOKIES

Some very simple everyday baking cupboard ingredients.  You will only need the yolks from the eggs, but you can freeze the whites to use at another time for meringues, pavlova or angel food cake. I have a cracking recipe for a super delicious small batch angel food cake that bakes in a loaf tin!

For the cookies:

• 1 3/4 cups (219 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup (168 g) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
• 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 TBS vanilla
• 2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup (54 g) ground almonds
• 1/2 cup (50 g) sliced almonds, for topping the cookies
• powdered sugar, for dusting the baked cookies when cooled

For the frangipane filling

• 3 TBS (42 g) butter, melted
• 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated white sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 cup + 2 TBS (40 g) ground almonds
• 1/3 cup (42 g) all-purpose plain flour, spooned and leveled
• pinch of salt

  

I like to start with all of my ingredients at room temperature.  This is a key to success for me.  I use salted butter because that is all I have in my house. I cut back on any salt required in the recipe to make up for that.

I use only pure extracts. In fact, I make my own vanilla extract.

Ground almonds are the same pretty much as almond flour. I would only use ground almonds from almonds that have been blanched. You don't want the ground skins in these cookies.

Like I said, don't worry about the egg whites. They can easily be frozen to use another time.  I freeze mine in ice cube trays and then add the frozen cube to a box of frozen whites, and then when I have enough, I will make myself a pavlova or some such.

Do use plain all-purpose flour and not self-rising. I think everything else is pretty self explanatory.

 

HOW TO MAKE ALMOND COOKIES

These are very simple to make. DO leave plenty of room between them for spreading when you put them onto the baking sheets as they do spread a fair bit.

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Line several large baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside.

Make the frangipane filling first. Whisk together the melted butter, sugar, egg yolk, salt, vanilla and almond extract until well combined. Stir in the ground almonds and then the flour, again combining well. Set aside.

 

Sift the flour for the cookies into a bowl along with the salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Cream the butter together with both sugars until light and fluffy in another bowl. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts, then beat in the egg yolks, one at a time.

Stir in the almonds and then the flour, combining everything well together to give you a soft dough.

Shape double TBS of the dough into 18 equal sized rounds and place, leaving at least 3 inches between, onto the baking sheets. (I used three sheets, six cookies each.) (I used my cookie scoop, heaped and rolled into balls with the palms of my hands.)

 

Using a half TBS measure spoon make a hollow indentation into the center of each cookie.

Working with 1/2 TBS at a time, make a small ball of the almond frangipane, flatten it out and place it into the hollows in the cookies. Sprinkle with some flaked almonds.

Bake each tray of cookies for 13 to 15 minutes. They should be the palest golden brown on the bottoms and around the edges.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the baking sheets.  Dust with icing sugar when cold and serve. Store in an airtight container.

 

These delicious almond cookies did not disappoint!  They were well worth the extra little faffing about that it took to put them together.  They had beautiful crisp and buttery edges and that almond frangipane filling in the middle was fabulous.

The flaked almonds on top came out toasty and golden brown and made them even more moreish. I think I could have probably added a bit more of those!

Altogether this is one very tasty almond cookie that I think you will enjoy!  Prepare to fall in love!!

 

Are you as big of a cookie monster as I am and wanting something crisp and buttery to enjoy with your tea and your family this weekend?  You might also enjoy the following delicious temptations!!

QUARTER CUP COOKIES - This is a small batch recipe for a cookie recipe that was originally called 10 cup cookies. It made a ton.  One cup each of ten different ingredients. I downsized it to 1/4 cup of each ingredient and ended up with 13 beautiful, delicious cookies. Butter, creamy peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, flour, chocolate chips, quick cooking oats, shredded sweetened coconut, chopped pecans and raisins.  Ten simple ingredients.  Ingredients most of us have on hand most of the time.  These are a real favorite.

THIN AND CRISP OATMEAL COOKIES - These are almost exactly like the Tate Bakery Oatmeal cookies!  Crisp and buttery and delicious!  These are so dangerously delicious you could almost eat them like potato chips. Well, I could at any rate!

Yield: 18 large cookies

Author: Marie Rayner

Almond Cookies

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 45 Min

Crispy edged, chewy middles, buttery and loaded with almond flavor and texture. These cookies are incredibly moreish. You have been warned.

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1 3/4 cups (219 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup (168 g) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
• 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 TBS vanilla
• 2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup (54 g) ground almonds
• 1/2 cup (50 g) sliced almonds, for topping the cookies
• powdered sugar, for dusting the baked cookies when cooled

For the frangipane filling

• 3 TBS (42 g) butter, melted
• 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated white sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 cup + 2 TBS (40 g) ground almonds
• 1/3 cup (42 g) all-purpose plain flour, spooned and leveled
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Line several large baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside.
2. Make the frangipane filling first. Whisk together the melted butter, sugar, egg yolk, salt, vanilla and almond extract until well combined. Stir in the ground almonds and then the flour, again combining well. Set aside.
3. Sift the flour for the cookies into a bowl along with the salt, baking powder and baking soda.
4. Cream the butter together with both sugars until light and fluffy in another bowl. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts, then beat in the egg yolks, one at a time.
5. Stir in the almonds and then the flour, combining everything well together to give you a soft dough.
6. Shape double TBS of the dough into 18 equal sized rounds and place, leaving at least 3 inches between, onto the baking sheets. (I used three sheets, six cookies each.) (I used my cookie scoop, heaped and rolled into balls with the palms of my hands.)
7. Using a half TBS measure spoon make a hollow indentation into the center of each cookie.
8. Working with 1/2 TBS at a time, make a small ball of the almond frangipane, flatten it out and place it into the hollows in the cookies. Sprinkle with some flaked almonds.
9. Bake each tray of cookies for 13 to 15 minutes. They should be the palest golden brown on the bottoms and around the edges.
10. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the baking sheets.
11. Dust with icing sugar when cold and serve. Store in an airtight container.

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