Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Almond Thumb Cookies

For you almond lovers.. Very, very nutty almond-y cookies.

Blog's Category: Cookies, Holidays, Kid's Favorite, Dessert


These cookies remind to me cookies sold at our famous Italian bakery in Little Italy. They have a lot of coarsely ground almonds and some almond extract that gives an ultimate almond flavor. Drop of apricot jam is a cherry-on-top addition to this cookie.

Please don't skip an almond extract, it gives such a signature flavor to these cookies!

Almond Thumb Cookies



For about 24 medium sized cookies
  • 2 cups of whole raw almonds
  • 2.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/3 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 1/2 cup flavorless olive oil 
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 cup apricot jam
  • 1/2 cup sugar powder
- Toast almonds in an oven at 250F on a dry baking sheet for approximately 30 minutes. Check them often, all ovens are different. When cracked they should be nice beige color inside.

- Cool almonds down completely, then coarsely grind them in a food processor.

- In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, almonds and salt. Set aside.

- In a separate bowl, with a mixer whip butter and sugar until light and creamy. Continuing with a mixer, add eggs, then olive oil, then almond extract.

- Add egg mix to a flour mix, stir until dough forms.

- Use portion-scoop spoon (see pictures below) to drop cookies onto baking sheet with a parchment paper. Make depression in each cookie using your finger knuckle.

- Bake at 340F for a 10 minutes. Take out and fill cookies with about 1/3 tsp apricot jam.
Return to an oven and bake until cookies are light beige, for about 10 more minutes.

- Remove from oven, let it cool down. When completely cooled, roll sides in a sugar powder, or place sugar powder into coffee strainer and shake over cookies to get light even coverage.

- Enjoy!



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In Pictures