Bake, Run, Live

For me, baking with nuts doesn’t happen all the time. It seems like I can go months without adding any nuts to baked goods, then all of a sudden, I use them in everything. Well, so it seems!

Last week, my mom asked me to make her some almond butter. Then the next thing I know, I am using almonds and cashews in a few recipes (like here, today’s recipe, and one more coming!). And now that those treats have been made, and eaten, I will be surprised if nuts make an appearance again for a few months!

A word of warning with these cookies, they are like potato chips- thin, small, crispy, and hard to stop at just one!

Almond Crisps Drizzled with Chocolate
Adapted from The Williams Sonoma Baking Book
Makes: 5 dozen cookies
Prep time: 15 minutes     Bake time: 5 minutes

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted almonds
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter until it is light and fluffy (about 1 minute on medium-high speed). Add in the brown sugar and mix on high speed until well combined and the sugar is no longer gritty. Add in the egg and vanilla bean paste, mix on low speed until well combined. Sift the baking powder, salt, and flour and add into the butter mixture on low speed. Once combined, stir in the almonds.

Scoop the dough by rounded teaspoonful onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. The cookies spread, so leave 2 inches between each cookie. Bake for 5 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the centers still look slightly soft. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, carefully move the cookies onto cooling racks and let cool completely.

For the chocolate drizzle, in a small bowl combine the chocolate chips and vegetable oil. Microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate has melted and is smooth. Dip a fork into the melted chocolate and drizzle on the tops of each cookie. Let the cookies rest for about an hour so that the chocolate can set. Enjoy!

Made with love, not calories!