Baking with Kids ~ Almond Cookies

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.
I love getting Lydia in the kitchen with me to cook. Last Friday, we decided to bake almond cookies together first thing in the morning. I hope that one day she shares my love of cooking and baking. Here's our recipe - this is a great one for the holidays!

Almond Cookies

(makes 40 small cookies)

Ingredients

2 sticks (1 cup) of butter, softened

2/3 cup powdered sugar (plus extra for dusting)

1 cup coarsely-ground almonds

2 1/2 cup unbleached flour

1 t vanilla extract

1 t almond extract

pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a mixer, cream together butter and powdered sugar until well-combined and fluffy.

In a small food processor, coarsely grind almonds.

Add vanilla and almond extracts to the butter sugar mixture and continue to mix.

 Add nuts into the butter and sugar mixture and continue to mix.

Add flour to the mixture and continue to mix until combined. 

Stir by hand to make sure everything is mixed together well.

Then lick the spatula clean?!

Using a small one-tablespoon scoop, make 40 scoops of cookie dough, evenly-spaced on a silicon baking sheet or greased cookie sheet. Use your fingers to flatten the cookies gently so they will cook evenly.

Bake about 15 - 18 minutes until they are firm and slightly golden along the edges of the cookie. Place on a cooling rack to cool. 

Using a fine mesh sifter, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!