In my hunt to find something Passover friendly, I stumbled upon this traditional Spanish cookie. Since it is flourless, it totally works for the holiday but of course, tastes good any time of year. I found some recipes containing lemon, some cinnamon, some both, some neither, so I phoned a friend with Spanish roots who suggested the former as the best option. It’s very reminiscent of the Almond Cake I made recently, simple but straightforward with a nice chew. If the dough feels a bit crumbly at first when you scoop it, keep rolling because the oils in the almonds will release and it will come together nicely. Definitely watch that you don’t overbake them, though! They won’t take on a lot of color but will get rock hard if they are in the oven too long. You want the centers to remain moist and chewy. Lastly, I used salted Marcona almonds for a little salty contrast, but any almond would do for decoration.
Makes 20 – 24 cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups (253 grams) almond flour
- 2/3 cup (132 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 large egg (50 grams)
- 20 – 24 whole almonds, for decorating
Instructions
Make the Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a food processor, pulse the almond flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest a few times to combine.
- Add the egg and pulse until the dough starts to form a ball.
- Using a cookie scoop, divide the dough into 20 to 24 balls depending on the size of your scoop. Shape each one into a ball, place 1 to 2 inches apart, and gently press one almond into the center of each cookie.
- Bake for approximately 12 to 14 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Immediately remove to wire racks and let cool before serving. Store remaining cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
