My New Year’s resolution every year is to make a concerted effort to try recipes out of the gazillions of cookbooks I own.  I generally cook or bake from only a handful of books I have, my go-tos.  One of my favorite blogs, Ipso Fatto, also collects cookbooks the difference being she actually uses hers.  Lucky for me we seem to have similar taste in cookbooks. My hubby is convinced its not so much that we have similar taste,  its because I buy every cookbook published so of course we would have the same books.  Her recent post featured a scrumptious almond cookie from Abigail Dodge’s Weekend Baker.  After reading it I spent the next hour rummaging through my bookshelves and mumbling to myself “I know I have that book, where is it”.  Eureka, finally found it.  Time to make some Toasted Almond Cookies, uh-huh.

Thanks to Ipso Fatto I am now making good on my annual new year’s resolution.

I love these cookies.  Not the prettiest cookies on the block but it was love at first bite. They’re buttery with a touch of sweetness and a nice crunch from the toasted almond slivers.  I had to stop myself from eating the whole batch. In all fairness the recipe only makes 20 cookies.  Yep, just a measly 20 cookies.

Note to self..double the recipe.

These are a snap to make.  Toasting the almonds adds flavor and crunch so don’t skip this step.  Throw the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven for approximately 5 minutes.  Easy peasy.  As the almonds cool make the dough. The cookies do not spread much so don’t forget to flatten the dough before baking.  I used a fork dipped in sugar and pressed each cookie with a criss cross pattern much like the classic peanut butter cookie.  I did not flatten the dough enough with the first batch resulting in the edges and bottoms browning before the center was completely baked.  The second pan of cookies turned out perfectly, golden crisp edges surrounding a sable’ like cookie and crunchy almonds.  Yums.

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Weekend Warrior-Weekend Baker

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• Pinch of table salt
• 1 yolk from large egg
• ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup slivered almonds toasted

Instructions

• 1. Position an oven rack in the middle. Heat the oven to 350˚F.
• Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.
• 2. In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Beat with an electric mixer (stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or handheld mixer) on medium speed until well blended. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and almond extracts and beat until combined. Pour in the flour and toasted almonds and beat on low speed until the dough begins to clump together. The nuts will break up a bit, but that’s okay.
• 3. Using a small ice-cream scoop or 2 tablespoons, shape rounded mounds of about 2 tablespoons dough on the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 ½”. Using your fingers, press down on each mound to flatten.
• 4. Bake 1 sheet at a time until the cookies look dry on top and the edges are golden brown, about 17 minutes. Transfer the cookie sheet to a rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Using a spatula, lift the cookies from the sheet onto a rack and let cool completely.