If you, like me, are tired of cooking for sustenance, I’m suggesting it’s time to get back to the oven for the enjoyment of it all. You do remember enjoyment, right? If you don’t enjoy cooking anymore, might I suggest you’re just not cooking the right stuff?
Well, heck, even if you don’t enjoy it, why not make something everyone can enjoy eating. Think of it as a reward. Yep, that’s it, a reward.
I was looking for a certain cookie recipe to use up some oatmeal taking up space in the cupboard (are your cupboards bursting like mine?) and I came across this one for the most delicious cookies I’ve ever made. No, really. My extended family said the same thing. I promise you, if you decide to try making them, you will not regret it. Your figure, though……. meh!
Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup seedless red raspberry jam
- sugar for sprinkling
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 to 4 teaspoons water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl beat butter medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the the 2/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Beat until well combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with electric mixer and then using a wooden spoon stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Using your thumb, press an indentation into the center of each ball. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the jam into each indentation and then sprinkle with sugar. Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks to finish cooling.
- For icing, in a medium bowl combine powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon water and 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract. Add enough of the remaining water to make a drizzling consistency. Drizzle cookies with icing.
While these look and sound fancy, they are pretty simple to make. Maybe skip the icing to reduce the effort and they’d still be delicious. (How do you go wrong with a shortbread recipe?) The only ingredient you may not have on hand is the almond extract, and trust me, don’t substitute vanilla. I’m sure you could substitute other flavors of jam, but be sure it’s good and thick, not runny. And if you want my one pro tip, don’t forget the parchment paper. I barely make anything in the oven without it, but with cookies, you can slide the whole thing off a cookie sheet without disturbing the shape of the cookie.
If you have a great cookie recipe, submit it using the submit article page, we all need some inspiration!
