Holiday almond cookies drizzled with chocolate

Kag333

½ cup butter (unsalted) at room temp.

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla

¾ cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ cup finely chopped almonds (whiz in food processor to get a fine texture)

subheading: Drizzle glaze:

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate or white chocolate, chopped

1 tsp. vegetable shortening

Cream butter with mixer until it is fluffy and pale. Add brown sugar and beat on high until the texture is no longer grainy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, gradually. Fold in the finely chopped almonds.

These cookies are delicate, so you must either bake on parchment paper lined pans, or use a silpat mat. Drop rounded teaspoons (use ice cream scoop for perfect amount) onto baking sheet, making sure you leave ample space - these will spread very flat upon baking, so I only put 6 on a sheet. Bake for 5 minutes (max -- watch closely) at 400 degrees, until golden. Note that they will not be firm and will look a little loose in the center -- that's ok -- just let them settle for about 5 minutes before transferring to rack to cool. Once cool, take the glaze (heated and mixed in a double boiler or microwave) and drizzle on cookies using the prongs of a fork.

I always do some with chocolate, some with white chocolate and some with a combination. I’ve also done pink, adding some red food coloring and peppermint to the white chocolate glaze. In the picture here, I also topped some with some fine oreo crumbles I had leftover from another recipe. I also use twice as much glaze as what’s called for in the recipe.

These cookies are great and freeze well. I really don’t mess with making other holiday cookies anymore, as none come close to being this good!

I normally double or triple the recipe if making for the holidays. They freeze well -- just freeze a plate of them flat to harden the drizzle, then you can start stacking with a layer of parchment paper in between so they won't stick.

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