Almond Paste Stuffed Cookies
I have a weakness for anything made with almonds, and these cookies are seriously good! They are soft and loaded with an ultra-delicious almond flavor! But I guess these are an adult cookie recipe, a well scented something to enjoy with your morning coffee or afternoon tea.
TO PIN IT
Almond Paste Stuffed Cookies
I prefer almond extract to vanilla here. While almond extract may not be your everyday flavoring in sweets, I bet it was invented to go with these cookies, don’t omit it, it adds a hint of a different flavor.
The cookies feature alongside almond extract, cinnamon powder and mastic gum. These three flavors combined amplify your cookie flavor.
Can I freeze Almond Stuffed Cookies?
- Just pop them in a freezer bag! When you are ready to serve them, leave them to thaw on a counter. And you can even freeze the cookies in their raw state, to be baked fresh later.
How long does your cookies last after baking?
- Store them in an air-tight container and they will last for 1 week.
I love the flavor of butter in baked goods, can I use butter instead of oil?
- My first instinct about the source of fats in the dough was butter, but it turned that my instinct was not correct. I have tested the recipe with both, and ended up preferring the oil version.
Can I use the same dough to make different fillings?
- Absolutely yes! For even more dramatic cookies, you can use the same dough to make date stuffed cookies, or even coconut stuffed cookies.
Make the dough
- First off, start by proofing the yeast: In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast with the lukewarm water and sugar. Let it stand to 10 minutes until a bubbly foam is created on its surface. This is an indication that your yeast is fresh and not expired.
- To make the dough: In a bowl, add the flour, anise seeds, salt, sugar. Mix well.
- Heat the sunflower oil a bit and add to the flour.
- Mix in lukewarm water and add the proofed yeast. Knead the mixture until you end up with a malleable dough. Cove with a kitchen towel and leave for 1 hour to ferment.
Make the filling:
- Place the almonds in a food processor, and pulse a few times until well ground. Transfer to a bowl, add the sugar, cinnamon powder, crushed mastic gum, almond extract, egg white, and orange blossom water. Mix well to incorporate.
Assemble the cookies
- On a flat surface, roll out the almond filling between two sheets of waxed paper to a rectangle of 30 cm x 22 cm/ 12 x 7 inches
- When the dough has doubled in size, roll it between two sheets of waxed papers to approximately 30 x 22 cm / 12 x 7 inches
- Peel off the top of wax paper from each. Invert the almond paste on top of the dough. With a pizza cutter, cut into 3 equal portions.
- Roll up tightly each portion to a jelly roll-style, starting with the long side, creating 3 equal logs. Wrap, each with plastic wrap. Roll out several times back and forth to smooth it. Gently flatten each log with your fingers to reduce its volume.
- With a pizza cutter slice each log into equal diamond patterns about 2.5 cm/ 1 inch wide pieces. Transfer the cookies to an oven sheet lined with parchment paper. Use the tines of a fork to make criss-cross marks on top of the cookies, brush the top of each cookie with the egg wash. Bake in a preheated oven to 200°C/400°F, to a golden color, it takes about 12 minutes. Enjoy.
These turned over the top fabulous. I could literally eat the cookies all day long. If you have been on the hunt for a great almond cookie recipe, give these cookies a try. Follow the steps they will never disappoint you.
AUTHOR: Hadia Zebib Khanafer
PREP TIME 1hr 20mins
COOK TIME 12mins
YIELD: Serves or Makes 50
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sunflower oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- 1/4 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. skinned almonds
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon mastic granules, crushed with a pinch of sugar, optional
- 3 tablespoons almond extract, higly recommened
- 4 tablespoons orange blossom water
- 1 egg white
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
Egg Wash
- 1 egg, lightly beaten, to brush the cookies before baking
Directions:
- First off, start by proofing the yeast: In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast with the lukewarm water and sugar. Let it stand to 10 minutes until a bubbly foam is created on its surface. This is an indication that your yeast is fresh and not expired.
- To make the dough: In a bowl, add the flour, anise seeds, salt, sugar. Mix well.
- Heat the sunflower oil a bit and add to the flour.
- Mix in lukewarm water and add the proofed yeast. Knead the mixture until you end up with a malleable dough. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave for 1 hour to ferment.
- While the dough is resting, prepare the filling: Place the almonds in a food processor, and pulse a few times until well ground. Transfer to a bowl, add the sugar, cinnamon powder, crushed mastic, gum, almond extract, egg white, and orange blossom water. Mix well to incorporate.
- On a flat surface, roll out the almond filling between two sheets of waxed paper to a rectangle of 30 cmx 22 cm/ 12 x 7 inches.
- When the dough has doubled in size, roll it between two sheets of waxed papers to approximately 30x 22 cm/ 12 x 7 inches
- Peel off the top of waxed paper from each. Invert the almond paste on top of the dough.
- With a pizza cutter, cut into 3 equal portions. Roll up tightly each portion to a jelly roll-style, starting with the long side, creating 3 equal logs. Wrap, each with plastic wrap. Roll out several times back and forth to smooth it. Gently flatten each log with your fingers to reduce its volume.
- With a pizza cutter slice each log into equal diamond patterns bout 2.5 cm/ 1 inch wide pieces.
- Transfer the cookies to an oven sheet lined with parchment paper. Use the tines of a fork to make criss-cross marks and brush the top of each cookie with the egg wash.
- Bake in a preheated oven to 200°C/400°F, to a golden color, it takes about 12 minutes. Enjoy.
If you make this recipe, share your pictures on Facebook! I would love to see your creations!Hashtag them #Hadia's Lebanese Cuisine
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
17 Responses to Almond Paste Stuffed Cookies
Leave a Reply
Be Social
About Chef
Hadia Zebib
I am Hadia, the face behind Hadia’s Lebanese Cuisine. I grew up in Beirut Lebanon and I currently reside in Kinshasa, Congo with my husband and my three adorable sons, ...
Read more about this chef..
Hadia…you recipes are just pure perfection! I mean I feel like I’m in the old world. You are an icon, my dear, in the kitchen xoxo
Oh, thank you so much Ally! Xo xo
Can l have the recipe for the almond cookies. thank you.
I love that you make that filling homemade this is a winner for sure!
Thank you, Claudia! The filling is chock full of almonds with a lovely floral mood lifting scent! Xo xo!
Oh, boy, the almond paste filling is such a yummy addition to these cookies! I sure wish I had a batch in my kitchen right now!
Thank you Liz, so true, the almond paste takes the cookies over the top. Xo xo!
My family makes a recipe for almond flavored cookies at Christmas that are delicious. I can’t wait to try these!
I’m going to save this for my holiday cookie baking!!
This looks really good!! I can’t wait to give it a try!
Hello Hadia,
I’m very much eager to try your recipe above but, it requires egg white.Is there anything I can use to replace the egg white, I DO NOT EAT EGGS,MEAT,GELATINE OR FISH. your almond biscuit recipe looks very appealing and would like you to explain what I can use to replace egg white.
Please send me reply on my emai address provided.
Hi Shashi, I have never tried the filling without eggs, but it makes sense to add 1 or 2 tablespoons of canola or sunflower oil instead of the egg whites. The egg white here plays as a binding agent. Start with 1 tables spoon and add as needed. As for the egg wash, brush the cookies with milk before baking. I hope that helps.
Hi. These look delicious. Have you ever tried to use pre-made marzipan instead of your own almond filling? I was thinking of trying. Thanks.
Jay, I have never used ready marzipan, but I think it should be doable, xoxo.
I love your recipes.Thank you for sharing them.
Best,Violeta
do you have the best recipe for mamoulds?
Hi Voleta, thank you for the sweet words, here is a my date maamoul recipe: https://hadiaslebanesecuisine.com/newsite/recipe-items/date-maamoul-with-sweetened-condensed-milk/
And if you are looking for a nut maamoul recipe, here is another great one: https://hadiaslebanesecuisine.com/newsite/recipe-items/maamoul-bi-fistok-pistachio-maamoul/
Can you tell me what is mastic granules? Thanks for your recipe