Triple Almond Sugar Cookies and Why I Heart My Husband

I was super-sick on Monday, with a vaso-vagal reaction to an IBS attack, and the DH had to leave his work to pick me up from my work, as I was too ill to get home under my own steam. Then he tucked me up in bed with cold washcloths, warm blankets, weak tea and crackers, and lots of love. (Isn’t he the best? I heart him!)

So I wanted to bake something for him to bring in to his work, to thank them for letting him leave to come and get me (although he did work from home until late, late at night to catch up on the workload — he’s conscientious, my boy, he is!). I decided to make some almond sugar cookies, a modification (what, would you expect anything less from The Queen of Substitutions?) of a childhood favourite.

While baking them, I decided to up the almond factor a bit by adding in ground almonds, in addition to the almond flavouring and the whole almond on top of each cookie, and then topped it off with a drizzle of almond icing. Does that sound fancy? It’s actually super-easy! The original recipe, from the 1975 edition of The Mother’s Almanac, is said to be so easy that a two-year-old can make them. I’m upping the age to 4 years, as a bit more dexterity is required with my version.

Dress some cookies up yourselves!

Triple Almond Sugar Cookies

• 1 tsp. almond flavouring
• 1 c. ground almonds
• enough whole almonds to put one on each cookie
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 c. butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 4 c. flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder and baking soda, each
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Mix butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, almond flavouring, and ground almonds together until thoroughly blended. Add in remaining ingredients (less the whole almonds) and mix until…mixed. On a greased baking sheet, place small (melon-baller-sized) balls of dough, no more than 1 dozen per cookie sheet, and press a whole almond into the top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes. Let cool on rack. Makes a good 4 dozen. With extra dough for snacking.

Almond Drizzle Icing

• 1 1/2 c. icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp. almond flavouring
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tbsp. water, enough to make icing a drizzling consistency

Mix icing ingredients together. Drizzle over cooled cookies with a fork.

Eat! Smack lips together with enjoyment and convince yourself that the nutrients in the almonds mean that these cookies are a health food. They are, right?

I think I’ll go enjoy some with a cup of Earl Grey tea! If you make some, let me know if you make variations! I think these would be great with citrus, and reduced almond flavouring — what do you think?

Next Post: I dunno. I’m going to bed. With cookies.

Linking Up at Meal Plan Monday – Cookie Edition!