Professor Butter Beard’s Strawberry Almond Cookies
Six Dozen Cookies
1 3/4 cups almond slices, toasted and cooled (1 ½ cups for dough, ¼ cup for topping)
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
16 Tbsp unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla paste
1 tsp almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine sea salt
1 ½ cup freeze-dried strawberries
Cookie Topping:
¼ cup of the toasted almond slices
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup turbinado sugar
1) Toast the almond slices until golden and aromatic and then set aside to cool (I use my cast-iron skillet and toss the still warm slices with ½ tsp fine sea salt). When the slices are cool, put them into a plastic bag and crush them with your hands.
2) In a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, stir together the confectioner’s sugar and the lemon zest until combined. Add the room-temperature butter and cream until smooth (3-4 minutes).
3) In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla paste and almond extract.
4) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, salt and freeze-dried strawberries.
5) When the sugar/butter is creamed, add in the egg mixture and mix to fully combine. Add 1 ½ cups of the crushed almonds and the dry mixture. Mix until just combined. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured countertop and divide into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a 1½” log, wrap in parchment paper and chill the logs overnight.
6) When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
7) In a medium bowl, stir together the remaining ¼ cup almonds and both sugars. Slice the logs into ¼” rounds and dip one side into the almond/sugar mix. Place 16 slices on a baking sheet and bake for 11 minutes (rotating the pan after 7 minutes). Cool the cookies on the pan for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
