Description
Delicious almond cookies featuring a rich frangipane filling and a tender, buttery dough topped with sliced almonds. Perfectly shaped and dusted with powdered sugar for an elegant finish, these cookies offer a delightful almond flavor and a light golden crust.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Frangipane
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp ground almonds
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- pinch of salt
Almond Cookies
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 cup ground almonds
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, for topping
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the Frangipane: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined. Fold in ground almonds, all-purpose flour, and a pinch of salt. Set the frangipane aside.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Flour Mixture: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer on high speed to cream the softened butter with light brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add Egg Yolks and Extracts: Mix in the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and almond extract on medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Combine Dough Ingredients: Add the flour mixture and ground almonds to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined to form the cookie dough.
- Shape Cookies: Using a large cookie scoop (2 tablespoon capacity), scoop 18 portions of dough. Roll each into a ball. Use a 1/2 tablespoon to create a slight indent in each dough ball, then add 1/2 tablespoon of frangipane into the center, slightly flattening it out. Top each cookie with sliced almonds.
- Bake: Place 6 cookies at a time on prepared baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Bake for 13 minutes until lightly golden.
- Shape Cookies Post-Baking: Right after removing from the oven, gently press a large circular cookie cutter around each cookie to perfect their shape and thickness, as they spread during baking.
- Cool and Dust: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, dust the cookies with powdered sugar and serve.
Notes
- Use room temperature egg yolks for better incorporation and fluffier dough.
- Scoop and shape the cookies carefully, as the dough can be sticky.
- The cookie cutter step after baking is essential to achieve uniform round shapes.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
- Substitute almond extract with vanilla extract if unavailable, though it will alter the almond flavor.
- Make sure butter is softened, not melted, for the cookie dough to achieve the proper texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 170 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
