Almond Shortbread

Buttery, crisp, and caramelized shortbread that pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee and stays delicious for days. This almond shortbread is a simple vanilla bean butter cookie, topped with flaked almonds for a nutty almond flavor and extra crunch. A comforting, one-bowl, no-mixer-required bake. Makes approximately 30 cookies.

Ingredients:

• 145 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
• 75 grams granulated white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or the contents of half of a vanilla pod
• 180 grams all-purpose flour
• 50 grams raw flaked almonds
• powdered sugar, for dusting on top

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 180 Celsius or 350 Fahrenheit.
2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, sugar, vanilla and salt. Mix until combined and smooth – this can be done with a whisk, a spatula, or even a spoon.
4. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated, and a soft dough has formed.
5. Press the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, and use your hands to flatten it into a large rectangle a little under 1 centimeter thick. This does not need to be perfectly shaped!
6. Top the dough with flaked almonds, gently pressing to help them adhere to the shortbread.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly golden. While still warm, use a sharp knife to slice the shortbread into rectangles or any desired shape. The almonds make cutting this shortbread a little tricky, so use a sharp knife and a decisive cut, not a sawing motion.
   • For crisp and slightly crunchy cookies, after slicing return the pan to the turned off oven for 10 minutes.
   • For softer and slightly chewier cookies, simply remove from the oven after the initial bake and slice.
8. Dust with powdered sugar, and enjoy! These cookies are especially delicious when they’re still warm, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for longer storage.

Notes:

• Vanilla: My favorite part of this cookie is the deep, warm vanilla flavor you get from using vanilla bean, but if you don’t have any vanilla pods or paste, you can substitute with a full teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
• Almonds: Almond shortbread is just one variation of this type of cookie – feel free to change up the recipe by topping with any other nut, or mixing chocolate chips or dried cranberries into the dough, or skipping the almond topping entirely and making a simple vanilla shortbread.