Home | Crafts for kids | Recipes | App and Book Reviews | Recipes | Cooking | Almond Cookies for V-Day….or any day!

It is with great reservation that I am about to share this recipe with the world….because….I am the world’s worst baker, maybe a six month old is worse, but not by a lot.  So, this is the one baked good I’ve managed to perfect and now I’m giving away the one thing that I can impress people with.  I can cook any day of the week, but baking………..I’m a disaster.  I’ve thrown away more money in the form of ruined baked goods than I care to divulge.  But, our mom colored glasses readers are worth it…..so here you go…….try to save a few to give away…….it’ll be hard, but you can do it!

What you need:

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 4-6 oz. almond paste (you’ll notice that the package I have pictured above says 10 oz…..I always use 3/4 of the package even though it’s probably more than 6 oz…..you just can’t go wrong with almond paste!)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 & 3/4 cup flour

Cream together butter & almond paste.  Cut up the almond paste into big chunks….because even if you leave it out on the counter over night it never really gets that soft.

Add sugar & almond extract.

Beat in egg.

Combine salt & flour in a separate bowl and then slowly add into the butter and almond mixture.

Your dough will be pretty crumbly….not to worry!

Do not chill this dough…you have to finish it right away.

Roll the dough into little balls……like the 1/2 the size of a golf ball.  Mine are a little bigger than that….it doesn’t have to be exact (and this is probably the reason I’m a terrible baker).

Next, you’ll need a cookie stamp….mine has little hearts on it.  It doesn’t really matter what the stamp is…..you could probably even flatten them with the bottom of a glass.  Press the stamp into each cookie so they end up being about 1/2″ thick.  Georgia did some of mine for me…..and I promise that I threw the ones away that she bit while stamping…..and I washed her hands…..I promise!

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes…..11 minutes seems to be perfect in my oven.  Let them cool on a rack before icing them.

For the icing…..

• Milk (the thicker the better….I used 2%)
• Powdered Sugar
• Almond Extract

Pour some powdered sugar into a bowl.  I never measure, I just eye it.  I’d say about a cup.  Add some milk….a very small amount…maybe a tablespoon, and a few drops of almond extract.  Mix it all up.  You don’t want it to be a super thick consistency, but you also don’t want it to be too thin……think consistency of an egg white.  I also always add food coloring…sometimes I go very pale pink, but this time I went hot pink.

And then….just brush the icing over the cookies and let them dry.  Usually a couple of hours.  Enjoy and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Home | Crafts for kids | Recipes | App and Book Reviews | Recipes | Cooking | Almond Cookies for V-Day….or any day!