Best Ever Almond Cookie Food

CHINESE ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt together into a large bowl. Whisk any bits of almond flour left in the sifter into the sifted flour mixture.
• Combine the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the almond extract and 1 egg yolk and beat until the mixture is smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Reduce the speed to medium low, add the flour mixture and beat until no streaks of flour remain, about 2 minutes.
• Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• When ready to bake, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Whisk together the remaining egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Scoop the dough by tablespoons (you can use a 1/2-ounce ice cream scoop) and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Roll each scoop into a ball and return it to the baking sheet. Flatten each with your palm into a 2-inch round. Gently press an almond onto each and brush with the egg wash.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the cookies are golden brown on the edges, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 10 minutes.
• Store the cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

ALMOND COOKIES (DIM SUM VARIETY)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Pour a few drops of red food coloring into a small bowl, and set aside.
• With an electric mixer, beat the shortening together with the sugar in a mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in the egg and almond extract.
• In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the sugar-shortening mixture, and mix well. Scoop up a scant tablespoon of dough with a spoon, and form into a walnut-sized ball. Place the ball onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and press the ball slightly with your thumb to create a flat spot on top (don't flatten the cookie). Dip the end of a bamboo chopstick into the red food coloring, and touch the center of each cookie to make a red dot.
• Bake in the preheated oven until slightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on a rack.

BEST EVER ALMOND BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup butter, sugar and egg in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, until creamy. Add milk and 1 teaspoon almond extract. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and baking powder; beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
• Divide dough into thirds. Shape each third into a ball. Wrap each in plastic food wrap; flatten slightly. Refrigerate 2-3 hours or until firm.
• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-third at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 6-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool completely.
• Combine powdered sugar, water, 1 tablespoon butter, corn syrup and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract in bowl; mix until powdered sugar is moistened. Beat at medium speed until smooth, adding additional water if necessary, to reach desired glazing consistency. Tint with food color, if desired.
• Glaze cooled cookies. Add decorator candies, if desired. Let stand until glaze is hardened (6 hours or overnight).

ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Sift the flour over the top, add the salt and the chopped almonds and fold to combine.
• Pull off little pieces of the dough and roll them into balls about 1-inch in diameter, enclosing a whole almond in the center of each one. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake on the center rack of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until light brown. Transfer to racks to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, roll 1/2 the cookies in the cocoa powder, and the remaining 1/2 in the confectioners' sugar. Serve warm or return to the rack to cool.

DRIED CHERRY AND ALMOND COOKIES WITH VANILLA ICING

Steps:

• For the Cookies:
• In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in the egg. Add the flour and beat on the lowest speed until just blended. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the dried cherries and almonds.
• Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log, about 12-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Dough can be made up to 3 days in advance).
• Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut the log crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Transfer the dough slices to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges and puffed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing, about 30 minutes.
• For the Icing:
• Put the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the vanilla extract and water, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture becomes a drizzling consistency. (Makes about 2/3 cups icing, enough to ice both variations.)
• Put the cooled cookies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Using a spoon or a fork, drizzle the cookies with the icing, allowing any excess icing to drip onto the baking sheet. Allow the icing to set before serving, about 1 hour.
• Cook's Note: To toast the almonds, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool completely before using.
• Cook's Note Alternative:
• Replace the dried cherries with 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots and add 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts. Also, use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and omit the almond extract.

LITTLE ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3 and roast the almonds for 5-10 mins until they are a pale golden colour. Cream together the butter, sugar, rum and a pinch of salt, then add the flour until the dough just comes together - it will be soft. Roughly chop the almonds and add them to the dough. Carefully roll out the dough on a well-floured surface to a 4-5mm thickness and cut out small cookies roughly 3-4cm across. Freeze the cookies on a baking sheet for 20 mins to harden.
• Bake the cookies in the oven for about 20 mins until just set - they will still be very pale. Lay out on a wire rack and dust icing sugar on both sides while they are still warm, being careful not to break them as you turn them. The icing sugar will melt. When they are cool, sprinkle them extremely generously with more icing sugar so that they are completely white. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream the shortening, 1/2 cup sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extract. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. , Shape into 1-in. balls. Roll in remaining sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with the bottom of a glass. Press three almond slices into the center of each. , Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.