The other day I was rummaging through my mother's 3 x 5 index card recipe collection and came across a recipe for almond lace cookies. It stood out among the rest because she had issued 4-stars just above the recipes title. The recipe was written using a green felt tip pen and I could barely decipher some of the ingredients measurements because the ink had bled.
Not only were the ingredient measurements smudged, they were questionable, the measurements would make even a seasoned cooks eye brow go a flutter. One tablespoon of flour? I wondered what would keep these predominantly butter and nut filled cookies from not spreading all over the baking pan. Logically it seemed it would need more flour to hold the ingredients together.
Against my better judgment, I didn’t add more flour. I placed tiny amounts far apart on the cookie sheet, took a deep breath, put them in the oven for several minutes and they came out so thin we could see through them.
Nick (the official taste-tester) was eager to sample these paper thin cookies. This cookie he said, is one of the tastiest cookies I've ever eaten!
These crispy, nutty, buttery lace cookies lived up to my mother's 4-star rating. They are delectable and paper thin and very fragile, hence their name, Almond Lace Cookies.
Almond Lace Cookies
Yield: About 4½ dozen cookies
The cookies spread during the baking process, so it’s important to measure exactly 1 teaspoon, no more or they will be running into each other and you will wind up with one big lace cookie. When placing on the baking sheet, place them far apart, bake six cookies per sheet. Use my cooking times only as a guide, watch closely or else they will burn.
½ cup (1 stick) butter
⅔ cup almonds, ground
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Oil a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, then dust with flour.
- In a small pan over moderately low heat, melt butter. Add ground almonds, sugar, flour and salt. Cook stirring occasionally until sugar has dissolved. Add milk and stir until combined.
- Measure exactly 1 teaspoon (no more or they will be running into each other and you will wind up with one big lace cookie). Place them far apart, six cookies per sheet - the cookies spread during the baking process.
- Bake for 6-7 minutes (or until chestnut colored - watch closely so they don't burn) switching baking pan halfway through baking time.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes. Quickly and carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
