I’m always looking for new recipes to try out – esp holiday favorites from around the world. So when National Cookie Day came up – today – I decided to give these Florentine italian almond lace cookies a try! They are so very easy and I love the slightly sweet cookies with a great crunch.
You can enjoy them plain, or shape them into cones or tubes, or drizzle chocolate over the top – or my preferred way? spread some chocolate all over the back (everything is better with a little chocolate, right? Some recipes call for chopped up cherries or other fruit – but I like them thin and plain. I have also seen them with some chopped hazelnuts in addition to the almonds, I might try that next time.
Florentine Lace Cookies
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp kosher or sea salt
- zest of an orange
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar firmly packed
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- melted chocolate optional
Instructions
- Toast the almonds, either in a dry pan over medium heat (stirring occasionally), or in a shallow pan in the oven, for about 5 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant.
- Place the almonds in a food processor or mini-chopper, and pulse a few times, until they are coarsely chopped.
- Preheat the oven to 350
- Transfer the chopped almonds to a bowl and add the flour, salt, and orange zest. Toss to combine.
- Place the sugars, cream, and butter in a small pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugars are dissolved and the butter is melted.
- Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and pour the hot sugar mixture over the almond mixture. Stir to combine
- Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to drop the batter onto the prepared cookie sheets. (Allow at least 3 inches in between, cookies will spread during baking.)
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool about 3 mins, shape if desired
- optional - melt some semi sweet or dark chocolate and spread along the back
Nutrition
Word of warning – they spread much more than you’d expect so make sure you leave enough room, no crowding these cookies. You don’t want them falling off the edge of the pan or merging with another cookie. The first pan I made I only did like 2 cookies just to test how far they spread and be able to better eyeball how many more I could fit for the next round.
And of course with it being national cookie day the Celebrating food holiday bloggers have some new cookie recipes to share with you!!!
- Florentine lace cookies – HERE
- Peanut Butter Blossoms – Life Made Simple
- Pecan Pie Cookies – Namely Marly
- Maple Bacon Shortbread Cookies – Hey Grill Hey
- M&M Chocolate Christmas Cookies – Creations by Kara
- Buried Chocolate Cherry Cookies – 365 Days of Crockpot
- Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies – The Baker Upstairs
And here are some of MY cookie recipes for you to enjoy!
- classic holiday sugar cookies
- oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
- chocolate chip cookie cone
- mexican wedding cookies, aka sandies
- mint chocolate macaron
- the best peanut butter cookie
- snickerdoodles
- homemade oreos
- Vanilla bean danish butter cookies
- white chocolate peppermint macaron
- coconut macaroons
- brown sugar shortbread cookies
- classic no bake cookies
- raspberry chocolate macarons
- soft sugar cookies
- brown butter madeleines
So what is your favorite cookie to make this time of year???
Kara
I have always wanted to try these cookies, and I agree with you, the chocolate on the bottom would be a must!
cakespy
I adore florentines! They’re like the love child of a cookie and a confection. These are perfect! I love your link roundup too.
Ashlee Marie
thank you so much!
Terri
With regards to the cream….what kind is this…evaporated, condensed, half and half, whipping?
Ashlee Marie
heavy whipping cream – evaporated and condensed are milks, and half and half is milk and cream, only heavy whipping cream is actually cream
JoanneWhiting
Yes you are right. Chocolate and cookies always do good and cool. My mom cooks best cookies.
Ashlee Marie
chocolate and everything… glad you like them
Patsy
Soo good!!!! Just prepared the recipe!! 😍😍
Ashlee Marie
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe
arth
nice post
Ashlee Marie
thank you so much
MariaMay
nice share !!!
Ashlee
thank you so much
Barb
I have been looking for a recipe for these since I fell in love with them when Sam’s Club made them every year around the holidays. They are sooo good (think: tongue orgasm)! They made theirs with the yogurt coating (white chocolate). I’ve seen recipes recommend using parchment paper on the cookie sheet – I’m thinking about using my Silpat mat. (I hope they don’t spread too far.) Thank you so much for posting this recipe!! 🙂
Ashlee Marie
i hope you enjoy the recipe as much as we do!
Susan
Say, at what point in the process do I sprinkle crushed nuts on top of my wafers?
Thanks!
Ashlee Marie
I think this question belongs on a different recipe maybe? the nuts don’t ever get srpinkled on top, they are mixed into the batter with the dry ingredients.
Rl
Used this recipe to make cannoli shells for Christmas. I found that the first batch came out perfect when the sugar was still hot from boiling but as the batter cooled the cookies stopped spreading in the oven. I remedied by adding a touch more cream to loosten the batter.
Ashlee Marie
I’ve never had that problem, but that’s a good solution