This traditional amaretto-infused almond shortbread treat is made for Christmas.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 15 mins |
| Additional Time: | 1 hr 10 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 55 mins |
| Servings: | 24 |
| Yield: | 24 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon amaretto liqueur
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted (Optional)
Instructions
- Combine butter, sugar, orange zest, amaretto, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl; beat using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. With mixer on low speed, add flour and mix until a dough starts to form. Mix in almonds using a spatula. Form dough into a log and freeze for 40 minutes, then place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Shape dough into small balls and flatten slightly. Place balls 1-inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until edges are golden, about 12 minutes.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 145 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 14 g |
| Cholesterol | 20 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g |
| Sodium | 26 mg |
| Sugars | 5 g |
| Fat | 9 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
What a waste of ingredients! This recipe when followed yielded me crumbly flakes of dough. No amount of combining, rolling, shaping kept this ‘dough’ together. After baking for 12 minutes I could at least try to flatten slightly, but only the butter had melted, the dough still hadn’t cooked. Even after another 10 minutes baking, cooling on a cookie sheet and hoping against hope I’d actually get a shortbread cookie, I picked up one to have it completely crumble in my fingers. As I said…a total waste of ingredients and my time.
I made these cookies because we like amaretto. I liked the cookies alot and so did family. I only used the chopped almonds in the cookie …not on top…thanks
I added just a touch more amaretto, and then dipped one side in chocolate for an added zing. Great recipe
This is a delicious little shortbread cookie to add to this year’s holiday cookie platter. I followed Linda T’s lead and added the almonds on the top to add interest, and it lets anyone with nut allergies know that nuts are involved.
I wanted to keep the almonds really visible in the cookie, so I didn’t stir them in, but rather pressed the dough balls into the almonds so they embedded in the dough. These were delicious .. next time I would add more orange zest.