The Bake-Off is Coming: Almond Café Cookies

Almond cafe cookies

CakeSpy Note: OMG! The 46th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off is coming! Since I so deeply loved attending the 45th Bake-Off, I thought I would get you excited early by sharing some of the finalists' recipes. Do I need to tell you that the winner will receive one million dollars? My posting is on hyperdrive since the event is less than a week a day--check back often, because I will be posting three recipes a day until the big event! You can follow them by clicking the bakeoff tag below the post to see which ones have been posted so far. Enjoy! 

I love almond cookies, don't you? Especially when they're nice, big fat ones like these. They were created by Nancy Fahey of North Kingstown, Rhode Island and will be on show at the Bake-Off! Woot!

Almond Cafe Cookies

Prep Time: 30 Min Total Time: 1 Hr 10 Min Makes: 24 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 packages Pillsbury Ready to Bake! refrigerated sugar cookies
  • 8 oz almond paste
  • 2 tablespoons Apricot Preserves
  • 1 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 1/4 cups sliced almonds

Procedure

  1. Heat oven to 375°F. Line large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In large bowl, break up cookie dough and almond paste. Add flour and preserves; knead until well blended and mixture forms a ball. Pat into 6x9-inch rectangle. Cut into 24 pieces.
  3. In small bowl, beat egg whites with fork or wire whisk until foamy. In another small bowl, place almonds.
  4. Shape each dough piece into ball. Flatten to 3-inch round. Dip one flat side into egg whites, coating one side only. Place coated side down onto almond slices. Lightly press to coat with almonds. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets, almond side up.
  5. Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until cookies are light golden brown. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes; remove to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 20 minutes. Store in covered container.