Stuffed almond cream cookies

Makes 24 cookies

There’s something delightful about biting into a  cookie and finding a delicious filling within.

You can put anything in here of course, like pieces of fudge, chocolate brownie or my favorite: Almond cream! The frangipane recipe is great for cinnamon roll dough, pear or peach tarts or apple turnovers. It’s one versatile recipe!

Frangipane/Almond cream:

There are many recipes out there made with eggs, but I use this recipe more often in my baking. It can be made dairy, egg and gluten-free very easily.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup sugar 

3 tbsp soft unsalted butter*

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp ground almonds

2 tbsp gluten free flour

1/8 tsp salt 

1/2 tbsp vanilla extract (optional) or 1/2 tbsp almond extract

Milk as needed to make mixture easy to spoon

*If you forget to pull your butter from the fridge, simply chop roughly and microwave for in 10 second increments until soft. 

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix the butter & sugar together until creamy. Stir in the almond meal, salt and flour & mix together to form a paste. Add the extracts and if the mixture still seems dry add a little milk to soften. (Mix should be creamy but not too wet.)

Cookie dough recipe. Makes 24 cookies using 3/4 bag

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 3/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 2 large eggs*

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 420 g (3 cups) Gusto Pastry & Pasta Flour

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds for top (optional)

*I like to use Just Egg or Bob’s Red Mills commercial egg replacer but Flax and chia work too here as binders.

Directions:

• Make the cookie dough by creaming the butter and sugars together in a stand mixer until just combined. Add vanilla and eggs, incorporate well. Combine baking soda, salt, and flour. Add to butter mixture.

• Scoop about 1 1/2 tbsp cookie dough and shape into balls. Flatten each cookie dough ball with your fingers and place a heaping teaspoon of almond cream in the middle. Pinch edges of cookie dough, sealing the cream inside and place the cookie onto a lined baking sheet. Flatten again to about 3/4” thickness. Repeat with cookie dough and cream and roll the dough in crushed almond slices (optional)

• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 13 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges. 

• Allow to cool and dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.