Almond Cookies

These cookies are delicious - almondy, crunchy and soft at the same time and gluten free (if that's important to you!).  The almond paste can be found in the baking aisle next to the marzipan. Make sure to use the almond paste - not the marzipan.  Marzipan already has sugar and other ingredients in it!

Almond paste comes in varying sizes so you may have to do a little math (gasp!) to adjust the recipe.  Our family loves these so much that I always at least double the recipe - and they are still gone within a few hours.  These also freeze perfectly so make them ahead and surprise everyone! You'll be a hero!

Almond Cookies

Ingredients:

10 ounces almond paste - NOT marzipan

1 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

¼ teaspoon almond extract

confectioners sugar

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.  Break the almond paste into small pieces and place in food processor fitted with a steel blade.

3.  Add sugar and salt and process until mixture is finely ground and combined.

4.  Whisk the egg whites in a small bowl and add in a steam to the almond mixture while processing – stop adding whites when mixture becomes a medium thick paste.

5.  Stir in the almond extract.

6.  Scoop the dough by heaping teaspoons onto the baking sheet and sprinkle heavily with confectioners sugar.

7.  Use three fingers to press indentations into each cookie.

8.  Bake the cookies 15-20 minutes until they are just barely brown around the edges.

9.  Be careful not to over cook – these burn quickly!

10.  Remove from oven and let cool on the pan.