Norwegian Almond Cookies Recipes

SCANDINAVIAN ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper; spray with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix cookie mix, softened butter, egg, flour and 1 teaspoon almond extract until dough forms.
• Divide dough into 3 pieces. Place 2 dough pieces on first cookie sheet. Press each piece into 12x2 1/2-inch rectangle, leaving 4 inches between rectangles. Place remaining piece of dough on second cookie sheet, and repeat shaping.
• Brush each rectangle with 1/2 teaspoon milk; sprinkle with 1/4 cup almonds. Press almonds lightly into tops of dough.
• Bake one cookie sheet at a time 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown (center will look soft). Cool 1 minute. Using sharp knife, cut each log into 1-inch diagonal slices, making sure to cut completely through almond slices while cutting. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack, leaving slices on parchment paper. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small bowl, stir powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and 5 to 6 teaspoons milk until desired consistency. Drizzle over cookies; sprinkle 3 tablespoons almonds over tops. Let stand about 1 hour or until glaze is set. Store loosely covered at room temperature up to 2 days.

SCANDINAVIAN ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and almond extract; mix until fluffy. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt; mix well.
• Divide dough into 4 pieces, and roll each one into a log about 12 inches long. Place 2 logs per cookie sheet 4 to 5 inches apart. Flatten each roll by hand until it is about 3 inches wide. Brush flattened roll with milk and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
• Bake in preheated oven 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. While the cookies are still warm, cut them crosswise at a diagonal, into slices about 1 inch wide. When cool, drizzle with almond icing.
• Almond icing: In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cookies.

KRANSEKAKE (NORWEGIAN ALMOND RING CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line 2 sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine confectioners' sugar, ground almonds, and baking powder in a large bowl. Add unbeaten egg whites one at a time, mixing until a firm dough forms. Knead dough for 2 minutes until it holds together and doesn't fall apart easily.
• Roll dough into 18 ropes the thickness of your index finger, each rope a little longer than the next. Shape each rope into a ring. Arrange rings on the baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Watch smaller circles carefully, as they may finish baking before the larger ones. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• Mix confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract together to make icing. Pour icing into a piping bag fitted with a small tip.
• Place a doily on a serving plate. Pipe a ring of icing as large as the largest cake ring. Place the largest cake ring on the icing. Pipe icing in a zig-zag pattern over the ring. Stack remaining cake rings on top, from largest to smallest, piping icing between each ring.

NORWEGIAN COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add egg and extracts; beat until well. Add flour and nuts; beat just until moistened. Cover and chill 1 hour or until firm enough to handle., Preheat oven to 350°. Shape into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten to 1/4-in. thickness with a glass dipped in colored sugar. Sprinkle with additional sugar if desired. Bake until cookies are set, 10-12 minutes. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

NORWEGIAN ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter in a large mixing bowl.
• Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
• Sift almonds through a colander or coarse sieve; add to creamed mixture, mixing until well blended.
• Add lemon juice and egg, mixing well.
• Gradually blend in the flour, stirring well.
• Press dough into a cookie press.
• Press cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets, using the discs you desire.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes.
• Remove to wire racks to cool.
• Store in airtight containers.
• Yield: 5 1/2 dozen.

SANDBAKKELS (NORWEGIAN ALMOND COOKIES)

Steps:

• Cream together butter, shortening, and sugar.
• Add egg, egg yolk, and almond extract. Beat until well mixed.
• Add flour until you have a fairly stiff dough.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Press about 2.5- 3 teaspoonful dough into a greased 3-inch sandbakkel tin. Start at bottom and press evenly and thinly as possible up the sides. (Note these do not fill the tin, they make a shell).
• To make a pattern on the inside (optional), take an empty sandbakkel tin and put it on top of the filled sandbakkel tin and press lightly, carefully remove the top tin.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until lightly brown.
• Remove from oven and place upside down on cooling rack. Tap bottoms while still warm to remove from sandbakkel tins.
• Makes about 5 dozen.