French Almond Cookies (aka Almond Cloud Cookies) Gluten Free!

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line with parchment paper. Set aside.

Step 2

Separate egg whites from the yolks and beat the whites with a fork or small whisk vigorously for 45 seconds until nice and frothy (they won’t be stiff or have peaks, just nice and frothy). Discard or use the yolks for another recipe.

Step 3

Combine the almond flour, sugar, powdered sugar and salt in a medium-size bowl and stir well with a fork to combine. Drizzle the vanilla and almond extract over the mixture and again stir until well combined.

Step 4

Drizzle 4 tablespoons of the frothy egg white over the almond meal mixture. Stir with a fork until the mixture is uniformly crumbly. Slowly add more egg white, a little at a time, just until all of the almond flour is incorporated. You may have some egg white left over. The dough should be thick but smooth.

Step 5

Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared pans. I like to use a 1½-tablespoon cookie scoop and level it nice and flat. You should have about 24-28 cookies.

Step 6

Either lightly wet your fingers or dip them in powder sugar and dimple the tops of each mound of dough by pressing in with three fingers lightly. (I use my thumb, forefinger and middle fingers together.)

Step 7

Bake for 10-14 minutes or until light golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the sheet pan for 5 minutes then remove to a cooling rack and dust generously with powdered sugar. (I use a small sieve for this.)

Step 8

Allow to cool completely then store in an airtight container.