Almond Shortbread Cookies
Almond Shortbread Cookies are absolutely one of my favorites. Don’t get me wrong I love a good chocolate chip as well. These almond cookies are so unassuming and full of delicious almond flavor. I adore desserts with almonds. Almonds are nutty and wholesome without being over powering to a dish like pecans or walnuts. They are beautifully white and can be ground into a fine powder to use instead of flour. Almonds are so versatile and they add just the right hint of flavor to these shortbread cookies.
I originally came up with these after tasting an almond cookie that was supposed to be spectacular. I remember buying the package of cookies and opening them in my car to try one, and I was so disappointed by what I had tasted. It was a sugar cookie essentially. I couldn’t stop thinking about how delicious an almond cookie could and should be, so I developed these, and I LOVE THEM. I also love that they can be relatively simple or dressed up with chocolate.
If you want to dress these up with chocolate then follow my instructions below the recipe below.
Almond Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ C all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 C blanched slivered almonds finely chopped
- 1 C granulated sugar + ¼ C, divided
- 1/2 lb unsalted butter slightly cooler than room temp
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¼ tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cream together the butter and 1 C sugar. Once light yellow and slightly fluffy add in the salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, egg and additional yolk. Mix until well combined. Add in the flour and process until well incorporated. Then add in the chopped almonds and mix until just combined.
- Put remaining ¼ c of sugar into a small bowl or plate. Roll out a tablespoon size of dough into a ball and place in the sugar. Pat it slightly flat. Remove from the sugar and place on a greased baking sheet sugar side up.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until nicely golden brown on the bottom.
- Allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Shop this recipe: Almond Shortbread Cookies
If you want to add the melted chocolate, bake the cookies as directed above and allow them to cool completely, then follow this:
Put 1 C chocolate chips (use semi sweet or dark chocolate depending on your preference) in a microwave safe bowl with 1 tbsp coconut oil.
Melt for 1 minute, stopping the microwave every 20 seconds and stirring the chocolate until it is smooth.
Dip your cookies in the bowl and place them on a piece of parchment set inside a half sheet pan and allow them to cool in the fridge for 1 hour.
