Monday, April 1, 2013

Pillow Soft Almond Sugar Cookies




From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have a fondness for almond flavored sweets and treats, so when I saw the recipe for these soft and chewy cookies, I knew I had to give them a try. I found the recipe on Confections from the Cody Kitchen and I decided to serve the cookies with the ice milk I had planned for our holiday dessert. The cookies are quite easy to make and they are delicious, but having made them, I have a couple of thoughts to share with you. While the first is a matter of personal taste, I recommend using less almond extract than is called for in the original recipe. I found 2 teaspoons to be overpowering, so I cut the quantity to 1-1/2 teaspoons and added 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla to make up the difference. I also had to experiment with how long the cookies should bake. At the 8 minute mark, my cookies were so soft they could not be moved. Allowing them to sit did not improve the situation, so the batches after that were cooked for about 11 minutes. I cook with a conventional, rather than convection oven and that might explain why mine took so long to bake. If you like sugar cookies that are soft and chewy, I urge you to give this recipe a try. Here is how these  cookies are made.

Pillow Soft Almond Sugar Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Confections from the Cody Kitchen

Ingredients:
1-1/2 Cups white sugar
2/3 cup butter (cold)
2/3 cup shortening (room temp)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons almond extract
2-3/4 Cups cake flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Coarse sugar for rolling dough balls

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cover cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2) Cream sugar, butter and shortening. Stir in eggs and almond extract. Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt and add to butter/egg mixture. Use electric mixer to ensure dough is thoroughly combined.
3) Chill dough in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
4) Working in batches, roll 2 teaspoons of dough into a ball and roll in raw sugar. Place on prepared pan about 1-inch apart. Return unused dough to refrigerator between baking batches.
5) Bake cookies for 7 minutes 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and gently press rounded tops of cookies flat with  back of a spoon while the cookies are still warm and pliable. Allow cookies to cool on pan for 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack to finish cooling. Yield: 36 to 40 cookies.








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22 comments :

Unknown said...

Dear Mary I didin't know this Kind of cookis They look very delicious have a nice day my friend blessing simmy

Rafeeda AR said...

they really do look pillow soft... melt in the mouth, i'm sure... :)

QembarDelites said...

I can see why you like them, look too pretty to eat!

Ginny Hartzler said...

The way you have photographed this, The light and texture, it looks like it was made by angels!!

Anonymous said...

beautiful soft chewy cookies? I'm in!

Joanne said...

Almond flavored treats are such a nice change from vanilla! These cookies sound so tasty!

Kim said...

These soft cookies looks amazing... I'm like you, I always cut on the almond extract as it tends to overpower the other tastes!

Foodiewife said...

Other than caramel, I have a personal love for almond. I will make these cookies, Mary, because they sound perfect and easy to make. I appreciate your notes to adjust the almond extract. That makes sense to me.

Barbara F. said...

They look delicious and melt-in-your-mouth good, Mary. I like your changes and when I make these, I will follow your advice. xo

Mr. & Mrs. P said...

These cookies do look pillow soft!!! Great job on the photos!

Tricia @ Saving room for dessert said...

Well you KNOW I love lemon so these are going on my list. Thanks for the tips - you are always so helpful! Have a lovely week Mary.

Laura Dembowski said...

These sugar cookies sound perfect! But I totally agree that's a lot of almond extract. I can dump tons of vanilla in a recipe, but almond is totally different. Very powerful.

Angie's Recipes said...

These soft cookies look so beautiful.

Miss Meat and Potatoes said...

Pillow Soft you say? I can't think of a more mouthwatering description for a sugar type of cookie. And your picture is stunning!

Daniela Grimburg said...

These cookies look so pretty and like they would melt in your mouth when trying!
Such a beautiful picture Mary,you can really appreciate the texture of the cookies and how delicate they are.
Will keep in mind your recommendations when preparing them.

Schnitzel and the Trout said...

I saw this recipe this morning...photo is beautiful...and I have been thinking about them most of the day. I have an idea that this is something I would love and could not leave alone if they were in the house. They do look so pillow soft. Thanks, Mary

Unknown said...

These cookies look amazing!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

These cookies are a win win for me Mary. I love sugar cookies and I enjoy a nice soft cookie too.

David said...

Mary, My wife and I both love sugar cookies...and the addition of the almond flavor sounds like it would really kick them up a notch! Thanks for the recipe... Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Choc Chip Uru @ Go Bake Yourself said...

Perfect looking soft cookies my friend :D

Cheers
Choc Chip Uru

Monica said...

Even though this is an older post I wanted to say these are delicious. I didn't have almond extract so I made them with vanilla instead and they are just as tasty :) The texture is so amazing and they are pretty easy to make too. Thank you so much for this recipe!

Efrain- Rooks to Cooks said...

Sugar Cookies are my favorite! I cannot wait to try these, thanks for the recipe. I love your picture as well~

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