A perfectly crisp, buttery cookie that’s not overly sweet but packed with rich almond flavor. My slice and bake almond shortbread recipe features the rich taste of almond flour and almond extract, complemented by a hint of citrus. Tender and full of flavor, these cookies are easy to roll, and cut with a cookie cutter.
For an extra touch, finish with a drizzle of dark chocolate and a sprinkle of toasted almonds. These cookies are as delightful to make as they are to eat. They’re vegetarian and egg free. This recipe is brought to you by Bob’s Red Mill.
Buttery and Crisp Almond Shortbread Cookies
A crisp and buttery treat anytime you’re craving a cookie you can whip up fast, or have on hand for last minute guests. I made a lot of shortbread at the bakery and in pastry school where I discovered the joy of shortbread. They’re loved by many for good reason and they’re a favorite of mine anytime, but especially during the holidays.
Buttery, tender, crisp and flavorful with almond and a hint of orange, they’re a perfect partner with a simple chocolate drizzle and a sprinkle of chopped toasted almonds.
This Recipe Is
- crisp and tender
- full of almond flavor
- roll. cut. bake.
If you love making and sharing homemade cookies, you’ll enjoy these tender and buttery almond cookies.
About the Key Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: choose a high-quality butter for best flavor. Set the butter out on the kitchen counter the night before so it can warm up to room temperature. This is the optimal temperature to render the butter soft and pliable, perfect for mixing.
- Orange Juice and Zest: using both in this recipe lightly flavors and enhances the cookie’s almond flavor profile. Orange zest is aromatic, bright, and citrusy thanks to its oils just under the surface of the skin. It’s more punchy than orange juice and imparts a slightly bitter note. Orange juice is tangy and sweet, adding freshness and acidity to these cookies aiding in tenderizing the crumb.
- Unbleached All Purpose Flour: creates tender and delicious cookies. I use Bob’s Red Mill Organic All Purpose Flour for beautiful and delicious results every time.
- Super Fine Almond Flour: creates a mild almond flavor and sandyish texture. I use Bob’s Red Mill.
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How to Make Almond Shortbread Cookies
Step by Step
You can store unbaked cookie dough or cut cookies for weeks in the freezer. When ready to bake, either thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight, or cut cookies can go from freezer to oven baking just a touch longer.
Ingredients Make All the Difference
Choosing high-quality ingredients is important for best flavor and consistent results. It reflects the love and attention that goes into each recipe I create for my family, friends, and the Vanilla And Bean community. I use Bob’s Red Mill Organic Unbleached All Purpose Flour and Super Fine Almond Flour in this and many of my baked goods recipes.
These high-quality ingredients create consistent results every time. You’ll find Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Flour in my tasty Cocoa Nibby Pecan Shortbread Cookies, and these rich and crisp Dark Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, and more!
For more inspiration using Bob’s Red Mill Organic Unbleached All Purpose Flour and Almond Flour, head to their website.
Chill Your Dough: The longest part of the recipe is the hands-off time for resting the dough. This happens twice while making the shortbread cookies and ensures the prettiest and tastiest shortbread that hold their shape: chill after mixing and again before baking.
Traci’s Tips
- Cookie Cutter: You can cut these cookies into any shape you like. I use a small 1 3/4 inch (4.4 centimeter) fluted cookie cutter, similar to one in this cookie cutter set.
- Make ahead: Shortbread has a long shelf stable life, so they make perfect make-ahead cookies to ship to friends and family near and far! They stay fresh for up to one week when stored at room temperature in a sealed container.
Almond Shortbread Cookies with Orange
Servings:48 , 1/4 inch thick Cookies
Calories:75kcal
*Advance Prep Required* – the cookie dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for 2 hours prior to rolling and cutting, then again for 20 minutes before baking. A perfectly crisp, buttery cookie that's not overly sweet but packed with rich almond flavor. This almond shortbread recipe features the rich taste of almond flour and almond extract, complemented by a hint of citrus. Tender and full of flavor, these cookies are easy to roll, and cut with a cookie cutter. This recipe is vegetarian and egg-free.NOTE: Prep time above is an estimate. This time can vary depending on baker experience.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (225 grams) Unbleached All Purpose Flour I use Bob's Red Mill
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (76 grams) Super Fine Almond Flour I use Bob's Red Mill
- 1 tablespoon Corn Starch
- 1/4 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) Unsalted Butter 1 1/2 sticks at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (55 grams) Organic Cane Sugar
- 1/3 cup (40 grams) Powdered Sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Orange Zest packed, from about 1 large orange
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Fresh Orange Juice fresh squeezed
- 2 teaspoons Pure Almond Extract
For Finishing:
- 3 tablespoons Slivered Almonds
- 1 3 ounce (85 grams) 70-80% Dark Chocolate Bar chopped small
- 1/2 teaspoon Coconut Oil solid
Instructions
Mix the Dough:
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, almond flour, corn starch and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, powdered sugar, and orange zest. Mix on medium for about 2 minutes or until smooth (not fluffy), stopping to scrape bowl down at least once.
- Add the orange juice, and almond extract. Mix again on medium for about 30 seconds, or until incorporated. Scrape down bowl. Add the flour mixture all at once, pulse to start, then mix on medium until the dough forms somewhat of a ball on the paddle but also, there will be dough sticking to the sides of the bowl, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl down. The dough should be tacky and supple, but not sticky.
To Shape, Cut and Rest:
- Transfer the cookie dough to your work surface (you shouldn't need any flour here, but if the dough is sticking, add a touch of flour). Knead the dough a few times until a mass forms. Divide it in half. Shape each piece into about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) thick discs. Wrap snugly in parchment paper and refrigerate for two hours or up to two days.
- To Freeze (optional): At this point, the dough can be frozen for up to two months. Be sure to double wrap the dough to prevent freezer burn.Thaw overnight in the fridge then proceed.
To Cut and Pan:
- Line two large sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside. Make room in the refrigerator for your pans. Alternatively, you can rest one pan in the refrigerator while preparing or baking the other. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to set at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes to make rolling easier. Flour your work surface, pin and surface of dough. Beat the dough with the rolling pin a few times to condition the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) thick. Cut the cookies with a 1 3/4 inch (4.4 centimeter) cookie cutter, reflouring as needed to prevent sticking. If the dough starts cracking, gather what you've rolled, knead it a few times and beat it with the pin to condition it. Shape into a rough disc, reroll to 1/4 inch thick and cut. Gather the scraps and reroll and cut as needed. Transfer cookie cutouts to the sheet pans. Space cookies at least 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) apart on the sheet pan. Place the cookies in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes or 10 minutes in the freezer before baking (do not skip this step or the cookies will lose their shape).
To Bake:
- Arrange a baking rack in the center of the oven and one directly underneath. Preheat the oven to 325 Fahrenheit (160 Celsius) while the cookies are resting. Bake at 325 Fahrenheit 14-17 minutes, or until the cookies are just turning lightly golden around the edges and underneath. If baking two pans at once, rotate the pans front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet pan for about 3-4 minutes, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely. They'll become crisp as they cool.
- Store in a covered container at room temperature for up one week.
Finishing the Cookies:
- Add the slivered almonds to a small skillet on medium heat. Toast, tossing the almonds frequently for about 8-10 minutes or until the almonds are fragrant and just turning golden. Transfer to a plate to cool. Chop fine. Set aside.
- In a heatproof bowl, add the chopped chocolate and solid coconut oil. Heat in 10 second increments in the microwave stirring for at least 30 seconds in between each heating interval. Repeat this about 3-4 times. This helps melt the chocolate slowly and prevents it from overheating which can result in chocolate bloom (creamy color streaks from the cocoa butter in your chocolate). You want partially melted chunks at the end of stirring so that the mixture finishes melting, slowly.Once melted, you can pipe chocolate over the cooled cookies using a zip lock bag or a triangle piece of parchment paper shaped into a cone with a very small hole cut into the tip. While the chocolate is still 'wet,' sprinkle with chopped almonds.
Notes
Kitchen Tools: For accurate oven temperature monitoring, I recommend a digital oven thermometer. Weigh your ingredients using a digital kitchen scale for the best outcome (affiliate link).
Recipe adapted from my Bourbon Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies.
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 75kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
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EASY AND VERY DELICIOUS. What else can I say? Thank you, Traci
These cookies taste amazing! So crispy..and I love the orange flavour with the chocolate
Hi Deb! Thank you for your note and giving the cookies a go!
Can gluten free flour be used instead of all purpose?
Hi Lin! I’ve not tested this recipe with gluten free flour, so I’m not sure. If you give it a go, please let us know how it goes!
Thanks!