Description
Delight in these classic Almond Cookies featuring a rich frangipane center and a tender, flavorful cookie base topped with sliced almonds and a dusting of powdered sugar. Perfectly crisp on the edges and soft inside, these cookies are a delicious treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Frangipane
- 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp (40 g) ground almonds
- 1/3 cup (42 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- pinch of salt
Almond 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) unsalted 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 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 cup (54 g) ground almonds
- 1/2 cup (50 g) sliced almonds, for topping
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare Frangipane: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined. Fold in the ground almonds, all-purpose flour, and a pinch of salt. Set this frangipane mixture aside for later use.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients for Cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 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 together the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Mix in the two egg yolks, vanilla extract, and almond extract on medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary to ensure even mixing.
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Ground Almonds: Add the dry flour mixture and the ground almonds to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Form Cookies with Frangipane: Using a large cookie scoop with a 2-tablespoon capacity, portion out 18 equal amounts of dough. Roll each portion into a ball. Use a 1/2 tablespoon measure to make a slight indent in the center of each dough ball. Spoon 1/2 tablespoon of the prepared frangipane into each indent and slightly flatten it out. Top each with sliced almonds.
- Bake Cookies: Place 6 cookies at a time on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 13 minutes until the cookies turn a light golden brown.
- Shape Cookies After Baking: Immediately after removing from the oven, use a large circular cookie cutter to gently scoot around each cookie to form perfect circles and maintain thickness, as the cookies spread during baking.
- Cool and Dust with Powdered Sugar: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, dust each cookie with powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Be careful not to overmix the dough after adding the flour to keep the cookies tender.
- If you don’t have almond extract, vanilla extract can be used alone but the almond flavor will be less pronounced.
- Use a silicone baking mat as an alternative to parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- For a stronger almond flavor, toast the sliced almonds lightly before topping the cookies.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
