Cookies or biscuits are always a favorite teatime snack around the globe. First introduced to India by the British, Indians have given cookies their own unique twist. My Almond Butter Cookies are the perfect bite size treat that can be enjoyed any time of the day ☺.

The almond nut that we are familiar with is actually the seed of the almond fruit, which naturally grows on an almond tree. Almonds are thought to have originated in Northern Africa & Asia. But here in the US, the state of California is the only one to produce these delicious nuts – via almond trees that were most likely introduced by the Spanish. Almonds are part of the heart healthy Mediterranean diet & help to promote lower cholesterol & cardiovascular disease. In addition, almonds are very healthy & contain large amounts of Vitamin E and also Vitamin B2 to a lesser extent.

These cookies are also perfect for pure vegetarians since they contain no eggs. So go ahead & try these simple to make, yummy cookies – your family & friends will really enjoy them ☺.


ALMOND BUTTER COOKIES (BADAM BISCUITS)

Ingredients:

1 cup of unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
¾ cup of granulated sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
1 tsp orange blossom water (or rose water)
2 cups all purpose flour (maida), sifted
1 cup of almond flour (or fine almond meal)
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cardamom powder
¼ tsp ground cinnamon powder
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ cup powdered sugar for dusting

METHOD:

Using hand held beaters or an electric stand mixer, cream together the butter & sugar until the mixture is light & fluffy. Next, add in the vanilla extract along with the almond extract & the orange blossom water.
Stir & add in both the all purpose flour along with the almond flour. Mix well to combine all of the ingredients. The dough will be a little crumbly in texture but that’s okay.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet or baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside until needed.

Take about 1 tbsp of the dough & using your palms, roll the dough into balls (about walnut size). Then gently shape the dough balls into half moons or crescent shapes & arrange them on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake the cookies for at least 12-15 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Let cool slightly & dust with a little powdered sugar. Let the almond cookies cool completely & enjoy!


VARIATIONS:

Chocolate pairs very well with these cookies, so feel free to melt a little chocolate & dip half the cookies into the melted chocolate after they have been baked & completely cooled. Let the chocolate set & enjoy! You can use milk chocolate, dark chocolate or even white chocolate – try all three varieties of chocolate & choose your favorite. You could also simply drizzle the chocolate over the cookies too ☺.

You can also liberally sprinkle the top of the cookies with white sesame seeds or pieces of almond slices. Then just follow the recipe as directed, but omit the powdered sugar dusting.



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