I have a weakness for anything made with almonds, and these almond paste stuffed cookies are seriously good! They’re soft, tender, and filled with an irresistible, rich flavor. Infused with beautiful Middle Eastern aromatic notes like orange blossom water and mastic gum, these delicate cookies feel like a little grown-up treat—perfect for enjoying with your morning coffee or afternoon tea.

Almond Paste Stuffed Cookies

I prefer almond extract to vanilla in this recipe. While almond extract may not be your everyday flavoring for sweets, I bet it was invented for these cookies! Don’t leave it out, as it adds a distinctive flavor that makes these cookies extra special.

Alongside the almond extract, these cookies feature ground cinnamon and mastic gum. Together, these three flavors beautifully complement one another and enhance the overall flavor of the cookies.

Can I Freeze Almond Paste Stuffed Cookies?

• Absolutely! Simply place the baked cookies in a freezer bag and freeze them. When you’re ready to serve, let them thaw at room temperature. You can also freeze the unbaked cookies and bake them fresh whenever you like.

How Long Do Almond Paste Stuffed Cookies Last After Baking?

• Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, and they will stay fresh for up to one week.

I Love the Flavor of Butter in Baked Goods. Can I Use Butter Instead of Oil?

• My first instinct was to use butter as the fat in this dough, but it turned out that my instinct wasn’t right! I tested the recipe with both butter and oil and ultimately preferred the version made with oil.

Can I Use the Same Dough to Make Cookies with Different Fillings?

• Absolutely! For a delicious variation, you can use the same dough to make date-stuffed cookies or even coconut-stuffed cookies. Feel free to experiment with your favorite fillings!

Make the Dough

• Proof the yeast: In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and sugar. Let it stand for 10 minutes, until a bubbly foam forms on the surface. This indicates that the yeast is active and ready to use.
• Combine the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, anise seeds, salt, and sugar. Mix well.
• Add the oil: Gently warm the sunflower oil and add it to the flour mixture.
• Knead the dough: Add the lukewarm water and proofed yeast to the flour mixture. Knead until you have a soft, pliable dough.
• Let the dough rise: Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 1 hour to ferment.

Place the almonds in a food processor and pulse a few times until finely ground. Transfer the ground almonds to a bowl and add the sugar, ground cinnamon, crushed mastic gum, almond extract, egg white, and orange blossom water. Mix well until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Assemble the Cookies

• On a flat surface, roll out the almond filling between two sheets of waxed paper into a rectangle measuring 30 x 22 cm (12 x 7 inches).
• Once the dough has doubled in size, roll it out between two sheets of waxed paper into a rectangle of the same size, approximately 30 x 22 cm (12 x 7 inches).

These cookies turned out absolutely fabulous! I could literally eat them all day long. If you’ve been on the hunt for a great almond cookie recipe, give these almond paste stuffed cookies a try. Follow the steps, and I promise they won’t disappoint!

Let’s Stay in Touch!

Almond Paste Stuffed Cookies

No ratings yet

Prep: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Cook: 11 minutes minutes

Servings 50 pieces

Course

Breakfast

---

Dessert

Cuisine

#Middle Eastern

---

Lebanese

---

Mediterranean

Print Pin Review

Description

I have a weakness for anything made with almonds, and these cookies are seriously good! They’re soft and packed with an irresistible almond flavor. I’d say these are more of an adult cookie, with their lovely aroma and delicate flavor, making them the perfect treat to enjoy with your morning coffee or afternoon tea.

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

For the Dough

• ▢ 4 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup sunflower oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sugar
• ▢ ¾ cup lukewarm water
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon anise seeds
• ▢ To Proof the Yeast
• ▢ 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• ▢ 6 tablespoons lukewarm water
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sugar

For the Filling

• ▢ 500 g 1 lb 2 oz blanched, skinless almonds
• ▢ 1 cup sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon mastic granules crushed with a pinch of sugar (optional)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons almond extract highly recommended
• ▢ 4 tablespoons orange blossom water
• ▢ 1 egg white
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ For the Egg Wash
• ▢ 1 egg lightly beaten, for brushing the cookies before baking

Instructions

 

• Proof the yeast: In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and sugar. Let it stand for 10 minutes, until a bubbly foam forms on the surface. This indicates that the yeast is active and ready to use.
• Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, anise seeds, salt, and sugar. Mix well.
• Add the oil: Gently warm the sunflower oil and add it to the flour mixture.
• Make the dough: Add the lukewarm water and proofed yeast to the flour mixture. Knead until you have a soft, pliable dough. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• Prepare the filling: While the dough is resting, place the almonds in a food processor and pulse a few times until finely ground. Transfer the almonds to a bowl and add the sugar, ground cinnamon, crushed mastic gum, almond extract, egg white, and orange blossom water. Mix well until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
• Roll out the almond filling: On a flat surface, roll out the almond filling between two sheets of waxed paper into a rectangle measuring 30 x 22 cm (12 x 7 inches).
• Roll out the dough: Once the dough has doubled in size, roll it out between two sheets of waxed paper into a rectangle of the same size, approximately 30 x 22 cm (12 x 7 inches).
• Layer the filling: Peel off the top sheet of waxed paper from both the dough and the almond filling. Carefully invert the almond filling onto the dough, aligning the edges.
• Shape the cookies: Using a pizza cutter, cut the layered dough into three equal portions. Starting from the long side of each portion, roll it up tightly, jelly-roll style, to form three equal logs. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and roll it back and forth several times to smooth it out. Gently flatten each log with your fingers to reduce its thickness.
• Cut the cookies: Using a pizza cutter, slice each log into equal diamond-shaped pieces, approximately 2.5 cm (1 inch) wide.
• Arrange and decorate: Transfer the cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use the tines of a fork to make crisscross marks on each cookie, then brush the tops with the beaten egg.
• Bake the cookies: Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for about 12 minutes, or until the cookies turn golden. Let them cool slightly, then enjoy!

Notes

If you make this recipe, share your pictures on Facebook! I would love to see your creations!Hashtag them #Hadia's Lebanese Cuisine

Keyword almonds

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!