Belly of the Beest

Chewy Orange-Almond Cookies

The recipe for these light little cookies came into my inbox at just the right moment! I had told my sister-in-law that I would make a dessert for her son’s baptism and I had originally planned to make my sugar cookies  and cut them out in the shape of crosses and then decorate them with his name and the date, that kind of thing. But it seemed like a lot of work and I have made those cookies so many times, I didn’t want people to get sick of them! So when Martha Stewart’s daily cookie email came, I knew I had to make these instead.

shredded orange with almond and flour

They are light, fragrant and tasty! I encourage everyone to make these at least once a year. They would be perfect for Easter, baptisms, baby showers, wedding showers, or even just an everyday cookie. They freeze beautifully so they are great to have on hand for lunches or a last minute dessert!

Make sure you whip the eggs long enough or your cookies will spread.

I have translated the recipe here because the one I have the link to doesn’t really tell you how to measure the flour properly. That is the one draw back to Martha Stewart recipes, you have to read them carefully before you start baking or you’ll find yourself yelling in the kitchen, “What the hell am I supposed to do with the ¼ cup flour? Eat it? throw it away? And what with the egg whites, Martha? When do I add those?!”

I don’t think her copy editors get paid enough or something, but there are frequently mistakes in her recipes so if you do end up subscribing to her daily cookie email or any of her holiday newsletters, proceed with caution. The recipes are delicious, but need to be proofread! Here is the link if you want to see the original.

Chewy orange almond cookies

And now, the recipe!

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 ounces sliced almonds, about 1 1/4 cups
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Zest of 2 oranges, finely grated, about 4 tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon anise seeds, crushed
• 3 large white eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. In a food processor, blend 3 1/2 ounces almonds (about 1 cup) with a 1/2 cup of the sugar until almonds are finely ground. Transfer almond mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in flour, orange zest, and crushed anise seeds.
3. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites, salt, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar to soft glossy peaks. Fold egg-white mixture into dry ingredients until just blended.
4. Spoon level tablespoons of batter 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using remaining 3/4 ounce almonds, arrange 3 sliced almonds on each cookie. Sift confectioners’ sugar over cookies. Bake until cookies are lightly browned along edges, about 12 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from sheets with a spatula.

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