Soft Almond Sugar Cookies

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Step 2

Line three sheet trays or cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Step 3

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter for one minute.

Step 4

Add sugar and beat until pale, two more minutes.

Step 5

Separate egg yolks from whites into two small bowls and set aside.

Step 6

Add both extracts, beat and scrape the bowl and beat again.

Step 7

With the mixer running on low, add one egg yolk at a time and incorporate before adding the next. Scrape and beat again to combine.

Step 8

In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.

Step 9

Mix the milk and orange juice together.

Step 10

With mixer on low, alternate adding flour mixture and milk mixture and beat just to combine. Scrape and mix again. Remove the bowl from the mixer.

Step 11

In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites to stiff peaks with a hand mixer or a whisk.

Step 12

Place 1/3 of the egg whites in the bowl with the cookie mix and using a knife, cut the whites in. Add the second third and cut in again. Then add the rest and using a stiff rubber spatula, gently fold into the batter.

Step 13

Place half the batter in a piping bag fitted with a large tip (affiliate link) and pipe out four-inch long cookies (refill bag as needed). We placed 12 each on two pans and six on a third for a total of 30 cookies, each four inches long.

Step 14

Bake one pan at a time in the upper most rack of your oven for ten minutes. Remove and bake the next pan for ten minutes then finally the last pan for ten minutes.

Step 15

As each pan comes out, remove the cookies to a rack to cool.

Step 16

In a small bowl, mix the confectioner’s sugar, milk or cream and the almond extract to a smooth consistency.

Step 17

Once the cookies are cool, line them up on a parchment lined sheet tray or cookie sheet and with a spoon, smear on the icing over each one. Does not have to be neat or perfect or cover the whole top. Just need enough for the almond slices to stick.

Step 18

Immediately sprinkle on the sliced almonds.

Step 19

Let sit ten minutes to set up and harden a bit then place on a serving platter to serve.