Sand Dollar Almond Cookies

Hello from Chicago and SITS Bloggy Boot Camp!


These cookies may look familiar to you. They are actually an updated Harvest Moon Cookie. Remember these? Well I have up dated the recipe a bit and temporarily chucked out the name Harvest Moon for the more beachy title of Sand Dollar Almond Cookies!

These cookies are amazing and super delicate. I have changed this recipe many times, but the addition of an additional egg has made a huge difference along with more almond extract. So I did add a second egg this time and the cookies were less crumbly and amazingly more light and airy. These are my friend TC's favorite cookies and apparently this batch disappeared much more quickly, in less than 2 days. So I guess she liked the addition of the extra egg.  I do hope you try these, they are really different from any other cookie although they are closely related to the Mexican Wedding Cake Cookie or the Russian Tea Cake Cookie.  Cheers.

Sand Dollar Almond Cookies

Harvest Moon Cookies 
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1  1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1  1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup ground almond meal ( I use Trader Joe's almond meal)

Preheat the oven to 350˚F

Cream the butter and slowly add in the sugar.  Add in the eggs, vanilla and almond extracts and the almond meal.  Work in the flour gradually. Wrap the dough in wax paper or parchment paper and refrigerate for 2 hours. 

Line a cookie sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. These are delicate cookies, so don't handle them too much. Divide the dough into 2 batches, leaving one in the refrigerator. Divide the dough into small 1 teaspoon sized balls and place them on a cookie sheet and slightly flatten with the heel of your hand or a spatula. Bake until just slightly golden brown on the bottoms, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool the cookies and drizzle with white or dark chocolate or cover 1/2 of the cookie in chocolate. Serve with cocoa or chocolate milk for dunking.