Chewy Almond Cookies

If you follow me, you know that I love almond cake and almond cookies and almond paste and almond extract. In fact, 17% of the recipes on my site are almond-based. It seems only fitting to add another one to the mix, right?

These are simple, chewy, almond cookies covered in powdered sugar. And, if you were curious, it’s possible to eat the entire batch by yourself in 13 hours (which includes a night of sleep…so really 3 hours…). I know this from personal experience.

Chewy Almond Cookies
adapted from Pinch Me I’m Eating

2 egg whites
2 ¼ cups almond flour
1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
⅛ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp orange zest (or 1 tsp Fiori di Sicilia)
1 tbsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
Extra powdered sugar for coating cookies

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, sift almond flour, powdered sugar, salt, and baking powder together.

Gradually fold in the almond flour mixture to the egg whites in 2-3 batches. The dough will become quite sticky as opposed to a fluffy meringue. Add orange zest (or Fiori di Sicilia), vanilla, and almond extract and fold until combined.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use either a scoop or your hands to roll the dough into balls about 1.5” in diameter. Roll the balls in powdered sugar until well coated. Shape the dough into an oval, flatten slightly, and arrange on the baking sheet about 2” apart.

Let the cookies dry out a bit at room temperature for approximately and hour (they will develop a shell). Pre-crack the shells by squeezing the cookies from opposite corners. This helps create the beautiful cracks in the final cookie.

While the cookies are drying, preheat the oven to 300°F. Bake cookies for 18-20 minutes.

Almond Cookies

After devouring nearly an entire package of oreos last weekend, I’ve decided to cut back on sugar which, as many of you know, is hard. The way I like to trick myself into thinking I’ve succeeded is by eating a cookie that is at least free of refined sugar. That counts for something, right?

I’ve made a lot of “healthy cookies” in the past but this is my favorite. It is filled with almond butter, almond flour, maple syrup and topped with maldon salt. Occasionally, dark chocolate makes its way in there because, well, chocolate makes everything better.

Almond Cookies
adapted from Goop

1 ½ cups almond flour
¾ tsp xantham gum
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup almond butter
1 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ maldon salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 350℉. Whisk the almond flour, xantham gum, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until fully combined.

Using a size 30 scoop, bake for 15 minutes. If you’d like, sprinkle some sea salt on top of each cookie before putting them in the oven.

---

---

Almond Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream

I had the privilege of celebrating my grandfather's 90th birthday this summer with all of my aunts and uncles and cousins from far and wide. It was a great weekend honoring a man who has a way with words. Words that include (when surrounded by all of his grandkids): this is what happens when you get drunk 60 years ago.

This man deserved a celebratory cake. One made from almonds, filled with a MN tart cherry filling, and covered in a white chocolate buttercream.

We also lied profusely to my daughter telling her the party was Sunday morning when, in fact, it was an adults only Saturday evening event. So I made her a mini cake with a bow and sprinkles. And she will never know the truth until she is old enough to read and happens upon this blog post.

---

Almond Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Almond Cake
510g (4 ½ cups) cake flour
4 ½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
⅔ cup prepared almond paste (7 ounces)
535g (2 ⅔ cups) sugar
283g (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
1 tbsp almond extract
10 egg whites
370g (1 ½ cups) whole milk

White Chocolate Buttercream
226g (1 ⅓ cups) white chocolate, chopped
339g (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp light corn syrup
¼ tsp salt
226g (1 ¾ cups) confectioners’ sugar

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or spray three 8 or 9-inch cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. 

Place the almond paste and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on low to break up the almond paste. Increase to medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until the paste is broken into fine particles.

Add the butter and almond extract and beat well, then add the egg whites, two at a time, just long enough to incorporate. Scrape down the sides of the bowl several times to make sure it is evenly mixed.

Add one-third of the dry ingredients to the mixture and fold with a large rubber spatula until combined. Fold in half the milk. Fold in half the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk. Finally, fold in the last of the dry ingredients until no streaks of white remain. Divide the batter among the three prepared cake pans.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Make the white chocolate buttercream:
Put 1-inch of water in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler; stir constantly until the chocolate is just melted. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, corn syrup and salt and mix until combined. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sugar. Beat until smooth. Add the white chocolate and beat on low until combined.

---