Almond Shortbread

This Almond Shortbread is already melt in your mouth delicious but when you add the Almond Butter Icing it is truly over the top. The shortbread and the almond icing are both very easy to make.

Melt In Your Mouth Almond Shortbread Cookies

1 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar for decoration

In a large bowl, beat the butter with the 1/2 cup of white sugar and the almond extract until light and fluffy. With wooden spoon, stir in flour until you have a smooth and well combined dough.

Divide the dough into 2 parts and place each part into Ziploc bags. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.

On a lightly sugared surface roll out the dough, one part at a time, to about a 1/2 inch thickness. Using a 1 1/2 inch round cookie cutter cut out the cookies.

Place the almond shortbread cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

For a decorative effect you can make a shallow indentation in the center of each cookie with the handle end of a wooden spoon. If you're using the cookie icing this is not necessary.

Bake the cookies for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are a light golden brown around the edges. If you're not going to use the icing you can roll the cookies in sugar while they are still warm. Place on a wire rack and cool completely.

Almond Butter Icing

This is a lightly flavored almond icing that compliments the Almond Shortbread perfectly. However it would be a great icing for any cookie recipe.

The recipe calls for 5 cups of confectioners sugar but you might need less. Just quit adding sugar when you reach the consistency you want.

1 cup shortening
1 cup butter
5 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
4 1/2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Cream together the shortening and the butter. Add the almond extract and beat the mixture until fluffy.

Beat in the confectioners' sugar, one cup at a time. Add the milk alternately with the confectioners' sugar, one tablespoon at a time until the icing reaches the desired consistency. Color and decorate as desired.

This icing accepts coloring nicely. It will not harden! The flavor is addictive.

The base of this recipe is similar to one advocated by Wilton in their cake decorating course, but it adds extra flavor. The butter makes it creamier and the almond adds flavor so it doesn't taste too sweet.

If you love shortbread cookies you will definitely love this shortbread recipe. The almond butter icing is not necessary but it is a great addition to Almond Shortbread.

You Might Need:

• Kitchen Supply Aluminum Half Size Sheet Pan 18-inch by 13-inch

• Calphalon 12-by-17-Inch Rectangular Nonstick Cooling Rack

• Silpat 11-5/8-by-16-1/2-Inch Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat

• Oxo Good Grips Cookie Scoop