Marcona Almond Cookies

My biggest concern with this recipe was finding the ingredients. Marcona almonds do not sound like something I’d find in Utah, but lo and behold, I found a small container in the cheese section at the grocery store, just like Claire said I might. After some searching, I also found almond paste, which is very similar to marzipan, yet nothing I would ever want to eat on its own.

With my food processor, I broke down the almonds (but made sure to save 24 almonds for the tops of the cookies later). I then added the almond paste and other ingredients including a whole egg and egg white. This was the first time I placed a cookie batter in a frosting pipe bag, but this dough is watery enough where it’s much easier to pipe them on the baking sheet. They also smelled fantastic thanks to the almonds. I combined the other egg yolk with some water and then brushed it over the tops of the cookies and then pressed a whole almond into each cookie. As I’ve learned with all the other cookie recipes in Dessert Person, I always try to use a silicone baking mat, which seems to ease the baking process much more efficiently than just parchment paper. The cookies took about 11 minutes to bake.

I think something I’m often missing with these cookie recipes is coffee. I personally don’t drink coffee, but that definitely seems to be what would pair well with the Marcona Almond Cookies. The almond flavor comes through beautifully. It’s a dainty cookie that doesn’t make one feel guilty, and the chewiness pairs great with the whole almond. If you’re looking for a cookie recipe that’s quick, easy and sophisticated, this is a great option.