Simple Almond Sugar Cookies

My mom and I are almond fanatics.  Almond flavored desserts, almond scented soaps, jordan almond candy ~  you name it, we've purchased it!

This is my go-to sugar cookie recipe in which I usually use vanilla extract, but I decided to go for something a little different this time and use almond extract.  The result was heavenly.

These cookies are great for holiday gifts because they are elegant and festive, and they don't need to be iced in order for them to taste delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1.5 cups cane sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 T almond extract
• 2 T cream
• 2.5 c flour
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt

Instructions:

• Cream the butter with a paddle attachment for 2 mintues to soften.
• Add the sugar and continue to cream on medium high speed for 4-5 minutes, until LIGHT, WHITE & FLUFFY ~ aka the three key words for effective creaming.
• While the sugar and butter are creaming, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and sift together with a whisk.  Set aside.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the sugar and butter.
• Add the eggs, fully incorporating the first before adding the second - scrape the sides of the bowl.
• Add the almond extract and cream and mix until fully incorporated - scrape the bowl.
• Set the mixer to low, and spoon in the flour mixture in 3 separate additions, scraping the bowl between additions.  Mix until JUST COMBINED, as too much mixing will make for a tough sugar cookie.
• Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.  Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

I bought gold sanding sugar and white luster pearls
from Williams Sonoma to decorate my cookies

When you're ready to roll or cut out your cookies, grease your cookie sheets with butter or line with silicone mats ( I got my Silpats at Sur La Table - they are such a worthwhile investment, as the cookie bottoms almost always come out beautifully golden and crisp)

For this batch, I rolled my chilled dough into 1.5 Tablespoon sized balls, and put 2 inches of space between them on the cookie racks. These cookies do not spread too much, but it's always a good idea to avoid overcrowding your cookie sheet.

If you would prefer to cut your sugar cookies into shapes, roll the dough to 1/8-1/4 thick on amoderately floured surface.  Be sure to flour your rolling pin as well.

You can re-roll your dough once, but after that the dough will be too tough and the cookies will lose their sweet almond flavor.

Bake your cookies in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges take on a light golden color.


Let them set for one minute on the cookie sheet and then transfer them to a cooling rack.


Merry Christmas!