Best 4 Almond Vanilla Cookies Recipes

DRIED CHERRY AND ALMOND COOKIES WITH VANILLA ICING

Steps:

• FOR THE COOKIES: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in the egg. Add the flour and beat on the lowest speed until just blended. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the dried cherries and almonds.
• Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log, about 12-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Dough can be made up to 3 days in advance).
• Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut the log crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Transfer the dough slices to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges and puffed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing, about 30 minutes.
• FOR THE ICING: Put the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the vanilla extract and water, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture becomes a drizzling consistency. (Makes about 2/3 cups icing, enough to ice both variations.).
• Put the cooled cookies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Using a spoon or a fork, drizzle the cookies with the icing, allowing any excess icing to drip onto the baking sheet. Allow the icing to set before serving, about 1 hour.
• Cook's Note: To toast the almonds, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool completely before using.
• Cook's Note Alternative: Replace the dried cherries with 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots and add 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts. Also, use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and omit the almond extract.

ALMOND VANILLA COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° and cover 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, mix together chopped almonds, flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Mix in extracts Mix in flour mixture until well blended Beat until thoroughly combined.
• Form dough into 36 balls and place a whole almond in center of each ball.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown, check after 15 minutes as I found I needed to turn the temperature down for the second batch.
• Note: I baked my second batch at 325° but it could just be my oven that runs hot.

DRIED CHERRY AND ALMOND COOKIES WITH VANILLA ICING

Steps:

• For the Cookies: With an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in the egg. Add the flour and beat on the lowest speed until just blended. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the dried cherries and almonds. Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log, about 12-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Dough can be made up to 3 days in advance). Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the log crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Transfer the dough slices to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges and puffed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing, about 30 minutes. For the Icing: Put the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the vanilla extract and water, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture becomes a drizzling consistency. (Makes about 2/3 cups icing, enough to ice both variations.) Put the cooled cookies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Using a spoon or a fork, drizzle the cookies with the icing, allowing any excess icing to drip onto the baking sheet. Allow the icing to set before serving, about 1 hour. Cook's Note: To toast the almonds, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool completely before using. Cook's Note Alternative: Replace the dried cherries with 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots and add 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts. Also, use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and omit the almond extract.

ENRICHED AND CRISP VANILLA/ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. put the almonds in a bowl of a food processor. If the processor is small, repeat process and chopped almonds. Do not over process. Set aside.
• 2. Cream the butter and add the sugar by tablespoons. It is best to do this in an electric mixer with the paddle. If not, do this by hand with a wooden spoon.
• 3. Add the almonds and remaining ingredients and form dough. Divide the dough in half and roll each into 2 inch thick logs. Wrap them carefully in waxed paper and refrigerate them overnight or two nights if you wish.
• 4. Preheat oven to three and 350°.
• 5. Liberally butter two large baking trays. If you use both logs of cookie dough, you will have to bake two times. If you decide to bake only once, keep the unused dough in the refrigerator for a day or two, or you may freezer. Remove the dough logs from the refrigerator and slice as thinly as possible and place the slices on cookie sheets beating 1 inch space in between. Bake until edges crisp, about 12 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness of cookie. Makes about 80 cookies.