Almond Confetti

By norsegal8

These sweet, delicate cookies are like potato chips - you can't eat just one. Not only are they easy to make, they have a captivating almond and vanilla flavor with an unexpected tang from the sour cream in the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 ounces unblanched almonds, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Unwrap one end of a chilled stick of unsalted butter and rub it over two large Teflon-coated baking sheets to apply a thin film of fat.
2. In a small bowl, briefly blend the flour and the salt with a wire whisk; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in the sugar until light and very fluffy. Add the sour cream, vanilla and almond extract, blending well. Gradually add the flour mixture, then the nuts, combining thoroughly.
3. Drop levels teaspoons of the batter onto the baking sheets spacing them 1 inch apart. A quick method is to pipe the soft batter from a large pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch plain decorating tip (such as Ateco #8). Pipe mounds about 1 inch in diameter. The decorating tip is large enough for the nut pieces to flow through easily.
4. Bake one sheet at a time, for 11 to 14 minutes, or until the cookies’ edges and undersides are golden brown and the centers are ivory. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for only 2 minutes to firm slightly. Then, with a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
5. Repeat the process with any remaining batter.
6. Stack the cookies in an airtight container.