February 3: Chinese Almond Cookies

Chinese Almond Cookies

Ingredients:

3 cups (13.5 oz) sifted all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
48 whole almonds, blanched or with skins

1. Preheat oven to 375 and place a rack a rack in the center. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick foil.
2. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt together in a medium-sized bowl; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and creamy. Reduce the speed slightly and beat in the egg, corn syrup, almond extract, and vanilla. Using the lowest speed of the mixer, stir in the flour mixture until its completely incorporated.
4. Scoop up rounded teaspoonfuls of dough and arrange about 2 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Top each cookie with a whole almond. Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Let cool on the baking sheets for about 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I thought a teaspoon would be too small so I used a 1/2 tablespoon.

I don't really like cookies this dark so...

Reduce a minute or two and they come out lighter!

Thoughts: This recipe was pretty straightforward and only needed minor adjustments.  The first batch I baked at 11 minutes and although they weren't burnt, I thought they came out too dark. So I reduced the baking time to 9 minutes.  I work with a double oven so the top oven's batches came out much lighter at 9 minutes and the lower oven's batches came out only slightly lighter. We tasted and thought they were pretty good although we both would've preferred the cookie without the actual almond on top. My dad was over while I was baking and referred it to it as an "adult cookie" due to its lack of being overly sweet.