Tuesday 14 December 2021

Mmm almond extract

 I tried a new cookie this year. They are called Italian Christmas cookies. I found the recipe on Pinterest but won’t bother including because I actually haven’t tried one yet (how’s THAT for self-control!) so I don’t know if I should recommend them yet.



This recipe calls for almond extract in the dough and almond extract in the glaze. I absolutely love the scent of almond extract. I’m pretty sure there was almond extract in a cookie from my youth, so nostalgia enters into this. My mother used to make little cookies that were a plain cookie dough wrapped around a maraschino cherry. They were rolled in granular sugar. I can still conjure up the smell of those cookies. Does anybody else remember those cookies?

The ones I made today are double glazed, meaning I dipped them in the glaze while they were still warm and then let them sit for a while on a cooling rack. Then I re-dipped them in glaze and put little decorations on them while the frosting was still wet. I thought the blue colours suited them well. 

I read that you should let the cookies sit for at least three hours for the glaze to harden. They’re still not completely hard yet, so I’ll leave them a while longer before I store them away. Fridge? Freezer? Just in an air tight container? Don’t know what would be best until Christmas. 

Do you make anything like this? Jeanie, I think you do.

35 comments:

  1. They look lovely. I use almond extract in my cherry pie filling.

    God bless.

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    1. I guess that's a classic combination: cherries and almond.

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  2. I don't think we go such a bundle on cookies in the UK

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    1. Too bad. Mind you, I'm hosting a smaller gathering of six on the 24th and then another gathering of fourteen or fifteen on the 27th and I also want to drop off a package at my old school for the staff, so I'm sure all this baking won't go to waste.

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    2. I live in Ontario too and see that there will be new restrictions starting tomorrow so your gathering on 27th might have to be delayed. Sorry to be a wet blanket:(
      Christine

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  3. Count me as another almond extract lover. I make an Almond Cookie that has extract in the dough and the frosting so I'm betting these of yours are gonna be wonderful. Why store them until Christmas? Put them out and let everyone nibble a few a day. 'Tis the season!

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    1. Ha, well "everyone" would just be husband and I until the 24th, so it's best they get stored away until then.

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  4. Wow .. they look delicious!

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    1. Thanks, I thought the variations of blue with the white glaze was pretty.

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  5. Your cookies look delicious and very pretty. Love the blue and the glaze. Your Mom's cookie sounds good too. Almond flavor is always wonderful. I recently had a cookie made with almond flour and it was very good too.

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    1. Some of the Italian cookie recipes I saw on Pinterest had almond flour as one of the ingredients. I wasn't sure if I could even buy that locally, so I didn't pursue those.

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    2. Almond flour must be simply ground almonds...

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  6. Oh yes, I remember those cookies wrapped around a maraschino cherry from when I was a kid! They were probably in a Canadian cookbook from Robin Hood Flour or something, so everyone's Mom made them!

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  7. I miss all those essences and extracts. We get no mint, lemon, almond, caramel or other essence and vanilla comes in powder form. Your house must smell so enticing. I would have been breaking one as it came out of the oven so I had an excuse to nibble

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    1. I usually eat the "ugly" one when I bring them out of the oven! I ended up eating one after it was all done with glazing. They are quite nice! I don't even understand powdered vanilla! That is sad that you can't get those little bottles of extract. The kind I buy is usually Club House brand. -Jenn

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  8. The photo looks beautiful and they look delish! I'm sure you can freeze them and they'll be fine till Christmas. Maybe the air-tight tin -- we're only about 10 days out. Or fridge them. You should be fine. If they are soft and you leave them out, put them in a ziplock (or maybe the tin) and they should maintain that. I love glazed cookies and these look beautiful!

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    1. Thanks Jeanie. They are in a container in the "other" fridge right now. I love having a second fridge, especially at this time of year.

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  9. None of us like maraschino cherries so mom didn't make those. Instead one of the neighbours gave her a box of chocolate covered cherries for Christmas. She knew that box was all hers. :)

    I love the smell of cookies baking, and I always taste test to make sure they are good enough to share. I saw the recipe for the Italian cookies on one of my searches for new cookies this year but didn't make them. Seeing your array is making me think there might be a batch yet.

    Enjoy!

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    1. It's funny - I don't like cherry pie, or (blechhh!) cherry flavoured cough syrup, but chocolate covered cherries at Christmas are my downfall!

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  10. My teacakes use almond extract (as well as vanilla) in the dough as well as the frosting. The almond taste is most noted. I make them, frost them, and keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator before taking them out to use or send. My frosting/glaze hardens well in the refrig.
    Enjoy your cookies. They look delicious.

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    1. Thank you for the input! Teacakes? I'm not sure what those are.

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  11. Your cookies are lovely! I plan to make similar ones here but with anise extract. I really like the double dip glaze you did and will do it here for sure. I often point a small fan at my glazed cookies to speed dry them. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Is anise a bit like black licorice? I never considered a fan. Perhaps I could have put on the ceiling fan in the kitchen.

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    2. Yes, anise tastes like licorice. I use a small fan that can sit on the counter. Started doing this because I seem to always be making my cookies in a rush to take somewhere...

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  12. Your cookies look scrumpcious! You have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.

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  13. You sure do have self control! Your cookies look beautiful. I've made the 'tried and true' favourites, but want to try something different as well this year.

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    1. It's fun to try something new, but there would be a mutiny if I strayed too far away from the favourites.

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  14. Hi Jenn! I LOVE the smell of almond extract...marzipan too. I seem to remember that maraschino cherry cookie you described, from my grandma's kitchen...not sure though! I freeze my cookies after they're baked and cooled, well, half the batch, just to make sure I don't eat them all at one sitting!!! They seem to do well in the freezer!!

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    1. I've frozen them in the past (only to dig into them in the freezer and discover they're not half bad when frozen!).

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  15. Good for you for trying out a new cookie. I plan to do likewise this week. Fingers crossed.

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  16. I make these all year - only my Italian grandmother used anise extract instead of almond

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