Description
These delightful almond cookies feature a tender almond-flavored dough topped with a rich frangipane filling and sliced almonds. Perfectly baked to a light golden brown and dusted with powdered sugar, they offer a deliciously nutty and sweet treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the 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 (40 g)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (42 g)
- pinch of salt
For the Almond Cookies
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (219 g)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (168 g)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar (165 g)
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar (50 g)
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 cup ground almonds (54 g)
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, for topping (50 g)
- powdered sugar, for dusting the cookies
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. Then fold in the ground almonds, all-purpose flour, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this flour mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on high speed 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 in color and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the flour mixture and ground almonds to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until combined, taking care not to overmix.
- Shape Cookies: Using a large 2-tablespoon capacity cookie scoop, portion the dough into 18 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball and use a 1/2 tablespoon measure to make a slight indent in the center of each ball.
- Add Frangipane and Topping: Spoon 1/2 tablespoon of frangipane filling into the indent of each cookie dough ball, then slightly flatten it out. Top each cookie with sliced almonds.
- Bake the Cookies: Place 6 cookies at a time on the prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart. Bake for 13 minutes until the cookies turn a light golden brown.
- Shape Cookies After Baking: Immediately after taking the cookies out of the oven, gently use a large circular cookie cutter around each cookie to perfect their shape, as they spread during baking.
- Cool and Dust: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, dust each cookie with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Using room temperature egg yolks helps the dough incorporate better for a fluffier texture.
- Measure flour by spooning and leveling to avoid dense cookies caused by packing.
- Making the indent in the cookie dough is important to hold the frangipane filling and prevent overflow during baking.
- The circular cookie cutter step after baking ensures uniform shape and thickness as the cookies spread.
- You can store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze them for longer storage.
- For a stronger almond flavor, you can toast the sliced almonds lightly before topping the cookies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
