These are a reworking of an old “Joy of Cooking” recipe I learned from my friend in Atlanta, Allison Dykes. They are the precious stars of her holiday cookie plate. The dough can be slightly finicky but can be re-rolled and re-chilled several times so all the scraps get used. The ideal thickness is somewhere between an eighth and a fourth of an inch. They need to be thin but not so thin that the delicate cookie breaks. The roasted almonds can be ground in a food processor.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup unsalted butter (2 1/2 sticks), softened
- ⅔ cup/145 grams sugar
- 2 ⅓ cups/308 grams all-purpose flour
- ½ cup/70 grams finely ground, roasted almonds
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup/8 ounces good-quality raspberry jam, preferably seedless
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (30 servings)
160 calories; 9 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 20 milligrams cholesterol; 34 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
About 30 cookies
Preparation
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking pans with parchment or silicone baking mats.
- In a bowl or stand mixer, mix butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, almond meal, cinnamon and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients, a half-cup at a time, to butter mixture.
- Divide dough into 3 balls. Place each ball between parchment paper (nonstick works best) and roll into a thin circle, about 11 inches in diameter and just over 1/8-inch thick. Refrigerate flat for at least 15 minutes.
- Working quickly with one sheet of dough, remove top layer of parchment, then flip onto a clean sheet and remove the bottom layer. Using a tree-shaped cookie cutter, cut 30 shapes for the bottoms of the cookies and place on prepared baking sheets. Reserve scraps to reuse for more cookies.
- Bake cookie bottoms for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges just begin to brown. Rest for a couple of minutes on the tray, then carefully transfer to a cooking rack. Repeat the process to create the tops, using a pastry tip or a straw to cut out 5 to 7 holes on the trees to resemble ornaments. Open any holes that close during baking.
- Meanwhile, melt jam with 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar and boil lightly for about a minute. Cool slightly. Assemble cookies by flipping the bottoms, spreading them with a scant teaspoon of jam, dusting the tops lightly with powdered sugar and then gently pressing the tops onto the bottoms. Store airtight between layers of wax paper or parchment for 3 days. Freeze for up to a month.
Dining and Cooking