Almond Joy Cookies Chocolate Macaroon Thumbprint Recipes

ALMOND JOY MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with cooking spray.
• In a bowl stir together coconut flakes, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Add egg whites and mix well. (If you don't have almond extract you can double the vanilla but they will taste less almond-y)
• Drop tablespoon-sized mounds onto prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart. (You can also use a cookie scoop for this!) Bake 10-15 minutes until golden on the edges. Allow to cool about 10 minutes.
• Drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with shaved almonds. Chill macarons for about 10 minutes. You can use kitchen scissors to trim the edges if desired. Store in airtight container.

ALMOND JOY MACAROON COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare cookie sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Set aside.
• 2. Combine egg whites, sugar, coconut and almond extract in one heat proof bowl (I used pyrex) and set it over a few inches of simmering water (basically a double boiler). Stir mixture with wooden spoon making sure to scrape the bottom to prevent burning. Continue heating and stirring until mixture and the egg whites have thickened about 8-10 minutes. Mixture is ready when a scoop placed on cookie sheet will hold its shape without a puddle of syrup forming around it.
• 3. Now take a measuring Tablespoon and scoop a full tablespoon onto the parchment paper about 2" apart of each cookie, (I only got 20 cookies because I filled the Tablespoon pretty good)and place one to two almonds on top. Bake for about 20 minutes watching carefully so that you don't burn the edges. The edges should turn a golden brown and the top part of the cookie should have golden brown on the tips..
• 4. When done... remove cookies once they are slightly cooled from the parchment paper onto a cooling rack or waxed paper as I have done...when cooled completely drizzle with Chocolate mixture.
• 5. Chocolate mixture for topping: In a heavy saucepan put 1 cup of chocolate chip morsels along with 2 T. vegetable oil over low heat until chocolate is melted..stir to combine with the vegetable oil. Drizzle or cover the entire top of the cookie with this chocolate. Cool completely so the chocolate sets up nicely, this takes a while for the chocolate to set up several hours, so don't get discouraged, and now enjoy! These cookies will store well up to 5 days.
• 6. *NOTE: I did not use parchment paper and this is what the cookie sheet looks like trying to scrape the cookie off it without ripping it apart...lesson learned!

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND BUTTER THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Adjust the racks to the top and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Combine the butter and almond butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the brown sugar and 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Adjust the speed to medium-low and add the flour in two batches, mixing until just incorporated.
• Combine the chopped almonds and the remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar in a small bowl.
• Scoop out even tablespoons of cookie dough, roll into balls and then dredge in the almond-sugar mixture. Space the balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies appear dry and slightly cracked on the top and golden brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Use the rounded side of a teaspoon to make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• For the chocolate ganache filling: While the cookies cool, combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 45 second increments, stirring well between each, until smooth. Let cool completely at room temperature.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip with the chocolate ganache. Pipe about 1 teaspoon of the ganache into the center of each cookie. Serve, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

ALMOND THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Pulse almonds, sugar, matzo cake meal, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. (Be careful not to grind to a paste.) Transfer to a bowl and stir in butter, egg, and extracts until combined well. Chill dough, covered, until firm, about 30 minutes.
• While dough chills, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Drop level tablespoons of dough 1 inch apart onto 2 ungreased baking sheets. Roll dough into balls, then chill until slightly firm, about 10 minutes. Make a 1/2-inch-wide (1/3-inch-deep) indentation in center of each ball using your thumb, index finger, or the rounded end of a wooden spoon. Fill each indentation with 1/4 teaspoon jam and bake, 1 sheet at a time, until tops are pale golden and undersides are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack and cool completely.

ALMOND JOY COOKIES (CHOCOLATE MACAROON THUMBPRINT)

Steps:

• Beat butter, sugar and salt.
• Add cocoa, melted chocolate and vanilla.
• Add eggs and beat until creamy.
• Slowly add flour and blend only until combined.
• Chill in refrigerator several hours.
• Meanwhile combine macaroon ingredients by hand in a small bowl.
• Form dough into balls using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon and drop onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Flatten each ball with your thumb, leaving a depression in the center of each.
• Fill each depression with 1 tsp of macaroon.
• Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes, until cookies no longer look wet on top.
• Cool completely on wire rack.
• When cookies are cool.
• Melt chocolate for drizzle.
• Add shortening and stir well.
• Drizzle over cookies.