Almond Butter Cookies Sandwiched With Jam Food

ALMOND BUTTER SANDWICH COOKIES WITH RHUBARB JAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the almond butter, egg and salt with a stiff rubber spatula. Mix in the sugar. Roll the dough into 1 tablespoon-sized balls and place about an inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten with a fork (these barely spread in the oven) and sprinkle with sprinkles, if using. Bake until set and no longer shiny, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely on the pan.
• Sandwich the cookies with a heaping 1/2 teaspoon of jam in the center, eat one now, and then let the rest sit for a few hours uncovered at room temperature to allow the jam firm up. Enjoy!

WHOLE-WHEAT ALMOND-BUTTER SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high, 1 minute. Add almond butter; beat until smooth. Beat in brown sugar, then egg, until well mixed. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture until just combined. Stir in almonds.
• Form dough into an 11-inch-long log, 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Wrap in parchment and freeze until firm, about 1 hour (or up to 3 months).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a chef's knife, slice log into scant 1/4-inch-thick rounds, using one quick motion for each slice. (For easier slicing, keep log frozen between batches of cookies.) Arrange rounds 1 1/2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, pressing back into shape as needed.
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are light golden on edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored, covered, up to 5 days.
• With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, honey, and vanilla on medium until combined. Spread 1 tablespoon each on the bottoms of half of the cookies, then sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing gently to spread filling to edges. Filled cookies are best the same day.

BUTTERY ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together flours, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.
• In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and granulated sugar until lightened in color and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in egg yolk and almond extract until combined, about 20 seconds. With the mixer running on low, add flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
• Divide dough into two balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a 1 1/2-inch-thick log. (If the dough is too soft to work with, chill it for 20 to 30 minutes before forming it into logs.) Wrap logs tightly in parchment paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate until very firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• When you are ready to bake the cookies, heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Use large, sharp knife to cut each log into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
• Bake until cookie edges and bottoms are golden brown, about 15 to 22 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Make the icing: In a large bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, melted butter, 1 tablespoon buttermilk, vanilla and almond extracts. If the icing isn't thin enough to drizzle, add more buttermilk. It should be a little thicker than heavy cream.
• Using a fork, drizzle icing all over the cooled cookies, then top with almond slices if you like. Let the icing set for at least 1 hour, then store at room temperature in an airtight container. The cookies will keep for at least 3 days.