These cookies looked so fancy and delicate, I just couldn’t resist.  It also helps that I’m a sucker for oranges and almonds – what could be better than the combination?

I cite one of my co-worker’s quotes here – “These cookies are to DIE for.”

Light, crispy, pretty, sweet, with a touch of salt, they are a lovely specimen of the cookie family.

I’m not sure how gift-able they are, simply because they are so delicate, but they are most certainly a “wow…” cookie.

Orange Almond Lace Cookies

makes about 2 dozen

ingredients:3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon orange extract1 1/2 cups finely chopped almonds
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour2 teaspoons orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, beaten

equipment:
baking sheets, parchment paper

how to:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.  When melted, stir in the orange extract and remove from the heat.  While it melts, stir together the almonds, sugar, flour, zest and salt.  Add the butter and stir to combine.  Then add the beaten egg, and mix thouroughly.

Line the baking sheets with parchment.  Drop generous tablespoonfuls of batter about 3 inches apart on the sheet, because the cookies will spread.

Bake 1 sheet at a time, until the cookies look lacy and golden brown, about 15 minutes.  Slide the parchment and cookies off the baking sheet and onto a counter or cooling rack to finish cooling.  Start each batch with fresh parchment and a cool cookie sheet.  Store on sheets of parchment or waxed paper to keep from sticking.

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The 12 Days of Cookies Participants:

Andrea of Andrea’s Recipes
Courtney of Coco Cooks
Di of Di’s Kitchen Notebook
Judy of No Fear Entertaining
Kelly of Sass & Veracity
Michelle of Big Black Dogs
Renee of Flamingo Musings
Sandy of At the Baker’s Bench
Tiffany of The Nesting Project