Toasted Almond Shortbread Cookies
Buttery toasted almond shortbread cookies dipped in silky dark chocolate.
Welcome to Christmas Week, a multi-blogger event co-hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen from Juanita’s Cocina! Each day we will be celebrating the holidays with a different set of Christmas-themed treats, as well as a fabulous Christmas giveaway. We hope you enjoy this fabulous event. Tune in each day starting today, Monday, December 9th and ending Saturday, December 14th.
And Christmas week continues. Today I’m contributing one of my very favorite cookie recipes, toasted almond shortbread dipped in creamy dark chocolate.
I don’t know what I like more, the buttery scent that floats throughout the house as the cookies bake or their toasted almond and sweet, buttery flavor. The life of a blogger–it’s hard, I tell ya.
This recipe is adapted from my grandmother’s toasted pecan shortbread recipe. Instead of adding toasted pecans, I decided to add toasted almonds. You know, mix things up a little. If you love pecans, use pecans. Any kind of nut will work perfectly in this recipe.
This recipe takes a small amount of preperation. I recommend making the dough the night before you’re ready to bake since it requires at least 4 hours in the refrigerator to chill before slicing and baking.
The dough: The dough is very thick. I highly recommend using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or mixing it by hand with a wooden spoon and some good old-fashioned elbow grease. Once the dough is prepared, transfer it a clean surface. Using your hands, gather the dough to form a ball. The warmth of your hands will help the process. Shape the dough into a 2-inch wide by 2-inch thick rectangular log. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill.
Baking: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Unwrap your dough log and slice the dough into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet, spacing them 2-inches apart. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly golden in color. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Dipping: Place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Melt 1 1/2 cups of chocolate with 1 teaspoon of shortening until smooth and velvety. Why use shortening? Good question. The shortening creates a glossy chocolate glaze. Basically, it makes your chocolate pretty. Remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet or directly on your counter. Dip one half of shortbread cookie into the bowl of chocolate, then place the cookie onto the parchment to cool; repeat until all of the cookies are dipped. If the chocolate begins to thicken before you’re finished dipping, place it back over the simmering pot of water until it becomes smooth. Allow the chocolate to set and harden before transferring the cookies to an airtight container or gift boxes.
My grandmother places the cookies in a cute little candy box for gifting. She lines them up like dominos and packs the box tight, ensuring that the receiver gets his/her fair share of cookies. Naturally, I do it the same way.
My favorite way to eat this cookie is paired with a cup of black tea or coffee for dipping.
Toasted Almond Shortbread Cookies
Buttery shortbread cookies loaded with toasted almonds and dipped in dark chocolate.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 12 ounces dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon shortening
Directions:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until pale in color, about 2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer down to low and slowly add the flour and salt. Mix until just combined. Add the almonds and mix until just combined.
- Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and gather the dough together into a ball, allowing the warmth of your hands to soften the butter.
- Shape the dough into a 2-inch wide by 2-inch thick rectangular log. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Unwrap your dough log and slice the dough into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet, spacing them 2-inches apart.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly golden in color. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies cool, prepare the chocolate. Add the chocolate and shortening to a heat-proof bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bowl isn’t touching the water, and allow your chocolate to melt until smooth.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet or directly on your counter. Dip one half of shortbread cookie into the bowl of chocolate, then place the cookie onto the parchment to cool; repeat until all of the cookies are dipped.
50 Comments on “Toasted Almond Shortbread Cookies”
chocolate and toasted almonds? slice cookie? DONE. and i’m pretty excited about the photo side-by-side of the cookie dough versus the cookie log. :) I’m in the middle of trying to determine what’s going on the cookie trays this year, and i’m thinking this one makes the cut for sure. I keep seeing those old “almondette” cookies in the store and going “omg i LOVED THOSE when i was little!” so i’m in the mood for almond cookies.
I made and ate every single almond shortbread cookie…literally. No one else helped; it was all me. Needless to say, these are my favorite cookies every year. Well, this one and the pecan sandies I make. Thank God for Grandmothers and they’re delicious recipes. Thanks, Shannon!
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Love the new site. Love these cookies. Love you.
Happy day #3!
Thanks, lady!
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These look amazing Jennie! And loving the new look of the site! It’s so fresh and clean and the colors are perfectly you.
Thank you so much, Vijay!
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wow love your cookies and the pictures! They transported me back home to europe. I kind of wish I could watch snow flakes falling while sitting comfortably inside having a hot chocolate and your cookies. =)
Helene, these cookies are perfect for watching the snow fall. Thanks!
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O lovely! Would they be even nicer when substituting part of the AP flour with almond flour?
Hi Jeanine. Thanks for visiting. I’ve never substituted AP flour for almond flour in this recipe, so I can’t guarantee the results. You can try it, but your cookies may spread a bit more. I would definitely chill the dough overnight if you decide to go that route. Happy Baking!
Thanks for the recipe! Can’t wait to try these! :)
You’re so welcome. Thanks for stopping by. Happy baking.
Buttery shortbread is what makes me love it so! I am an almond addict so this is even better. You’ve made some beautiful shortbread! Happy Christmas Week. :-)
Nuts for me make the best cookies, so I love your addition of toasted almonds to this shortbread!!
I love that you changed up your grandmother’s recipe. I am not often allowed to do that in my house (girls can be such sticklers for tradition) but I love your beautiful cookies and I am sure your grandmother would approve! They are so lovely!
mmmmmmm! I’m licking my chops over these tasty treats! I LOVE the new site design, my dear! Freaking gorgeous!
Picture perfect as always, Jennie. Nothing like the aromas of baking butter and the taste of toasted almonds =)
Well these cookies look great but your blog looks amazing! I almost didn’t recognize it. Love the redesign!
Chocolate? Almonds? Shortbread? Yes, yes yes!
they look perfect to have with tea (or without)!
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I’ve never made shortbread cookies but those look too good to pass up!
Thanks, Aimee. One bite and there’s no going back. It’s all the delicious butter.
first of all-so cute that you used your grandma’s shortbread recipe!
secondly-these are so gosh darn fancy yet comforting! plus ummm yeah they sound and look delicious!
Thanks, Kayle! They look fancy, but they don’t take all the necessary work that “fancy” food takes to make.
LOVE the addition of toasted almonds in these. Yummm
Thank you for the recipe. The cookies look delicious and I can’t wait to try them out!
Just visited the Freund site–so many containers! One thing I’d buy if I won is the air seal plastic jars.
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These are so cute Jennie. I can see my hooligans devouring these in 5 seconds flat. They look scrumptious.
So happy you joined us for Christmas Week. xx
These toasted almond cookies look just incredible! Almonds and chocolate are two of my favorite things. I would flip to get a box of these at Christmas. I bet your grandma was an amazing cook!
Canning pot
If I win, I will buy the Endurance® 20 Qt. Water Bath Canner W/7 Jar Canning Rack. I freeze applesauce each September but I would rather can it instead.
Scrumptious looking cookies, m’lady! My grandmother handed down a pecan shortbread ‘ice box’ cookie recipe, too. I like your toasted almond version dipped in chocolate! Beautiful photos, too, Jennie. Definitely pinning!
Thanks, Stacy. I ate the entire batch…all by my lonesome :)
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Has no one actually made these? The recipe does not say when to add the almonds.
Hi Mylenia, Thank you so much for bringing that error to my attention. I must have overlooked that step when writing the recipe. I made the necessary edits to the recipe. Again, thank you so much. Happy baking!
I have been making a similar cookie for over 30 years – An Orange Almond Shortbread with a raspberry pastry filling (between 2 cookies), then dipped in dark chocolate, and sprinkled with some toasted almond slices. I added orange zest and a drop of orange extract to the cookie dough. I started making these for Sunday B
runch when I was the Pastry Chef at the Thousand Islands Club Resort, on Wellesley Island – on the border between the U.S. and Canada.
Wow, that sounds really delicious. I like the idea of stuffing the cookies. Yum! Thanks for the advice.
Hello, i’m going to try this recipe as they sound dee-lish-ous. However, you don’t say how long the dough should rest in the fridge and there is also shortening in the recipe but no mention of it in the method. Can you please advise. Thank you
Hi Julie!
Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. I made the necessary corrections. You’ll want to allow the dough to chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight. The shortening is used in the melted chocolate mixture. Again, thank you so much! Happy baking.
This is my first time pay a visit at here and i am actually pleassant to read all at single place.
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