Lidia's Almond-Apricot Butter Cookies

By sandiB2010

These delicious almond-apricot cookies are best served with a cup of tea and make a great additions to any festive dessert table. Make these cookies and gift them to your friends and family that have a sweet tooth. Serve these during the holidays or any time you have to please a crowd of sugar-lovers.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/3 cup apricot preserves
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Preparation

Step 1

Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl. Beat butter and sugar in separate bowl with an electric mixer until very pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes, then beat in egg and both extracts. At low speed, beat in flour mixture just until a dough forms. Wrap dough in plastic and chill until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in the top and bottom thirds. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Pinch off heaping teaspoon-size balls of dough and roll into balls. Place balls on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Bake until puffed, but not browned, about 8 minutes.

Remove baking sheets from oven and carefully make a small crater in the middle of each cookie using a teaspoon-size measuring spoon. Fill each crater with ¼ to ½ teaspoon preserves and sprinkle a couple of slivered almonds in preserves. Continue to bake cookies until golden brown on bottom and edges, about 8 minutes more. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes and then transfer to racks and cool completely.

(These cookies can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature).