ALMOND TOFFEE COOKIES

Here’s a sturdy cookie that’s crispy on the edges and tender, slightly chewy, on the inside, with distinct almond flavor from almond butter, almond extract and Heath bar bits.  A combo of flours provides interesting texture.  You’ll get about 16 largish cookies, about 3 – 3-1/2” in diameter. 

Almond Toffee Cookies Source:  Judy’s Kitchen Rating:  8.5 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour 1/2 cup bread flour 1/3 cup white whole wheat flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/8 tsp. sea salt 1 stick unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup almond butter, room temperature 1/2 cup sugar (I used 2 Tbsp. Nu Natural Stevia) 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1 large egg 1 tsp. almond extract 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1 cup Heath bar milk chocolate bits Heat oven to 350F.  Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper.  In medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In large bowl, whisk butter, almond butter and sugars till smooth and well combined.  Whisk in egg and extracts until smooth.  Stir in dry ingredients and Heath bar bits with spoon or spatula.  Drop about 2 Tbsp. dough, leaving several inches between each, on prepared cookie sheet.   Press dough down slightly with fingers.   Bake 14-18 minutes, or till cookies are just barely done.  Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.  Yield:  16 cookies

ALMOND BUTTER TOFFEE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Here’s another great cookie with almond butter.  These are tender, slightly crisp on the edges with soft insides.  If you want them chewy, use dark brown sugar for the brown sugar.  If you want them crispier, bake them longer.  If you want them sturdier, use half bread flour.  And you can always use peanut butter in place of the almond butter, if you prefer.  These are not as good as my fave, Triple Almond Cookies, but they’re very good.  The toffee bits and chopped almonds add a nice crunch factor, and there’s plenty of yummy flavor here too.

You don’t have to use almonds from a can – you can substitute plain almonds if you prefer.  (You might want to add a big pinch of salt to the dough if you use unsalted almonds.)

Almond Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies Source:  Judy’s Kitchen Rating:  8 out of 10 PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:  1 stick unsalted butter (I used Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend) 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar (I used 2 Tbsp. NuNaturals Stevia) 3/4 cup almond butter 1 large egg + 1 yolk 1 Tbsp. almond liqueur (or 1/4 tsp. almond extract) 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup + 2 Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour 1/3 cup roasted salted almonds (from a can of mixed nuts) 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 cup toffee bits 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips In large bowl, whisk together butter and sugars till smooth.  Whisk in almond butter. Add egg and flavorings and whisk till smooth.    In small bowl, combine dry ingredients, including toffee and chocolate chips.  Add to creamed mixture with spoon or spatula, mixing just till combined.    For sturdier cookies, cover bowl and refrigerate overnight.  If you don’t have the time to do that, refrigerate as long as possible, or just bake them right away.  Heat oven to 350F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Place about 20 golf-ball size dough balls on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes, or till cookies test done when a toothpick  is inserted in center.  Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.  Yield:  about 20 (3-1/2”) cookies.

TRIPLE ALMOND COOKIES

 
If we’re honest, we’ll all admit to having fears.  One of mine was of almond butter.  I know it sounds silly, but every time I thought of trying it, I cringed at the thought of wasting almost $8 because I might not like it.  But, when I decided to conquer my fear, I discovered it was unfounded.  Almond butter rocks!  Right out of the jar, it’s wonderful.  But in these cookies, it’s even better.   


Now I must tell you that I’m not a big fan of thin cookies.  These cookies are not totally flat, but they are on the thin side.  And I love them.  They’re very crispy on the outside and soft and chewy inside if you underbake them slightly.  If you bake them longer, they’ll be crispy all the way through.  Either way, these are top-notch treats with a nice almond flavor (not too almondy, just right) and great texture.  The flavor of the almond butter gets bumped up with almond extract and chopped salted almonds or Dove Promise Hearts (dark chocolate almond).  If you make the cookies with the salted almonds, you’ll get slightly more almond flavor.  With the Dove Hearts, slightly less, but you’ll still taste almond.  And, though it’s not absolutely necessary, I recommend chilling the dough for 30 minutes to an hour before baking. 

If you’re like I was – fearful of almond butter – go ahead out and buy a jar and make these cookies.  You’ll be a regular customer, I promise you that. 

OR, make your own almond butter:  Put 1 cup or more almonds (whole, slivered, sliced or salted) in the work bowl of a food processor.  Pulse till it becomes a paste.  Measure out the required amount for your recipe and eat the rest like peanut butter.  So good!

Triple Almond Cookies Source:  Judy’s Kitchen Rating:  10 out of 10 PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:  3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour +1/2 cup bread flour (or just use 1-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, if desired) 1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/8  tsp. sea salt 1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup creamy almond butter, room temperature (I used Maranatha brand)  1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1 large egg 3/4 tsp. almond extract 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract 2/3 cup chopped salted almonds OR 1 cup Dove Promise Hearts (dark chocolate almond), chopped In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In large bowl, whisk  butter and almond butter till well combined.    Whisk  in sugar gradually.    Whisk in egg and extracts, beating well.   Switch to a spoon or spatula and stir in flour mixture. Stir in chopped salted almonds OR chopped Dove Hearts (they have almond chunks inside).    Refrigerate dough 30 minutes to 1 hour.  If you're really rushed, go ahead and bake them without chilling. When ready to bake cookies, heat oven to 350F.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup or ice cream scoop, drop mounds of dough onto prepared pan, spacing each 3” to 4” apart, as they will spread.    You can slightly push the mounds down with your fingers if you want, or leave them as is.  Bake 15-18 minutes.  To underbake, test with toothpick.  When it returns with some moist dough, remove cookies from oven and cool in pans about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.  Cookies will not look or feel done, but they will continue to cook when they are out of the oven.  Yield:  12 (4-1/2” to 5”) cookies.