Nielsen-Massey is sponsoring today’s post. In exchange for sharing this sweet dessert recipe, I received a bottle of their Organic Pure Orange Extract. All thoughts, ideas, recipes, pictures, and general silliness contained within this post are solely my own and not necessarily that of the sponsor. CLICK HERE to learn more about Nielsen-Massey’s Pure Vanillas & Flavors.
After making Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Chile Shortbread cookies a few months ago, I knew that I wanted to try making the same delicate buttery shortbread cookies again, only this time experimenting with different types of nuts, as well as different types of flavorings. So, when Nielsen-Massey approached me with an offer to try their new organic line of pure extracts, I pretty much jumped at the chance. Thankfully, it wasn’t very difficult to decide on which extract flavor I wanted to try because I’ve been dying to experiment with orange extract.
These delicate and flavorful almond-topped cookies turned out absolutely divine if I do say so myself. The orange extract genuinely gives these almond-topped cookies a lovely orange flavor, that is neither too overpowering nor artificial tasting. I’ve found that with extracts that isn’t always the case. Some have a weird aftertaste or just taste totally unlike the fruit or flavoring they are trying to mimic. If you’d like to try a bottle of Nielsen-Massey Organic Pure Orange Extract for yourself, make sure to enter the contest below. One lucky winner will receive a 2-oz. bottle of their own to experiment with.
Ingredients:
Cookies:
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 2 Teaspoons Orange Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, Cold
- 2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- Water
Glaze & Garnish:
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Water
- 2 Teaspoons Orange Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds
Directions:
Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Place the sugar, almonds, and salt into a food processor. Process for 30 seconds. Add the orange and vanilla extracts; process for 30 seconds. Add the flour; process for 30 seconds.
- Cut the butter into 1/2-tablespoon pieces and add it to the food processor; process just until the mixture comes together. Sprinkle in a little bit of water if the mixture needs help coming together.
- Use floured hands to form the shortbread mixture into two balls.
- Place one ball of dough onto a floured countertop and roll it out with a floured rolling pin. Cut the rolled out shortbread dough with a round cookie cutter.
- Place each cookie carefully onto a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roll the dough scraps into a ball again and repeat the rolling out and cookie cutting process until all of the scraps are gone.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or just until golden brown.
- Allow the shortbread cookies to rest for 3 minutes before removing them to a baking rack to cool completely.
- Repeat steps 4 through 7 with the additional ball of dough until all of the dough and the scraps are gone.
Glaze & Garnish:
- Whisk the powdered sugar, water, orange extract, and vanilla extract together.
- Spoon or pipe a circle onto the top of each shortbread cookie.
- Garnish each glazed shortbread cookie with sliced almonds.
- Drizzle any remaining glaze over the almond-topped shortbread cookies.
- Allow the cookies to rest for at least 2 hours before packaging them in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper.
Suggestions:
- Place a wet paper towel or dishcloth over the food processor when in use to avoid a cloud of fine sugar dust from being emitted into the air.
- Roll the dough out until it is approximately a little less than a 1/4-inch thick. If you roll the dough out thicker or thinner, you may have to adjust the baking time.
- I found it handy to use a small thin angled cake icing spatula to help move these shortbread cookies on an off of the baking sheet. These cookies are pretty delicate, so you will need to use a light touch when moving them around.
- I used a small piping bottle to place the glaze on each cookie. I find it a little less messy than using a spoon. Use whichever technique works best for you. I also suggest glazing a dozen cookies at a time and then garnishing them with the sliced almonds. If the glaze dries too much before garnishing the shortbread, you will have a hard time getting the almonds to stick. The extra drizzle of glaze over the almond-topped cookies will also help the almonds to stay in place.
Improvements:
- Use Nielsen-Massey Organic Pure Orange Extract in this recipe.
- Sprinkle the top of each shortbread cookie with a bit of sea salt.
- Replace the orange extract with lemon or almond extract.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 2 Teaspoons Orange Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, Cold
- 2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- Water
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Water
- 2 Teaspoons Orange Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Place the sugar, almonds, and salt into a food processor. Process for 30 seconds. Add the orange and vanilla extracts; process for 30 seconds. Add the flour; process for 30 seconds.
- Cut the butter into 1/2-tablespoon pieces and add it to the food processor; process just until the mixture comes together. Sprinkle in a little bit of water if the mixture needs help coming together.
- Use floured hands to form the shortbread mixture into two balls.
- Place one ball of dough onto a floured countertop and roll it out with a floured rolling pin. Cut the rolled out shortbread dough with a round cookie cutter.
- Place each cookie carefully onto a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roll the dough scraps into a ball again and repeat the rolling out and cookie cutting process until all of the scraps are gone.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or just until golden brown.
- Allow the shortbread cookies to rest for 3 minutes before removing them to a baking rack to cool completely.
- Repeat steps 4 through 7 with the additional ball of dough until all of the dough and the scraps are gone.
- Whisk the powdered sugar, water, orange extract, and vanilla extract together.
- Spoon or pipe a circle onto the top of each shortbread cookie.
- Garnish each glazed shortbread cookie with sliced almonds.
- Drizzle any remaining glaze over the almond-topped shortbread cookies.
- Allow the cookies to rest for at least 2 hours before packaging them in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper.
Don’t let this recipe slip away. How often do you find a recipe intriguing, yet forget where to find it when you finally get the hankering to make it? Instead of digging through old posts or wandering aimlessly around on the internet, why not Pin this recipe to Pinterest where you can find it when you eventually need it? Simply Pin the image above and you’ll have it when that time comes. You can follow us HERE on Pinterest or simply click HERE to find all of our pin-worthy recipes.
Nielsen-Massey is giving one lucky reader a chance to win their own bottle of Organic Pure Orange Extract. Enter below for your chance to win. Contest available in the United States only.
