Vanilla Almond Praline Shortbread Cookies
Deliciously butter shortbread is filled with vanilla flavor and praline almonds, then dipped in a vanilla bean icing and topped with even more almonds.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon powdered sugar divided
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or seeds from 1 vanilla bean, divided
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- First, make the praline almonds. Add the almonds and 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar to a saucepan, and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely melted and coats the almonds.
- Once the sugar is melted, continue to cook until the sugar is golden brown in color. Make sure not to let the almonds brown too much. Once the sugar is golden brown and the almonds are toasty, pour the praline almonds onto wax paper to cool.
- With a mixer, beat together the butter and ¼ cup powder sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or seeds from ½ vanilla bean. Beat until combined.
- Add the flour, and mix until no more dry spots remain.
- Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the praline almonds. Add the rest of the almonds to the cookie dough, and mix until well distributed throughout.
- Shape the dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Once ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° F.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out until it's about ¼ inch thick. Cut the cookies into your preferred shape, then transfer them to a baking sheet, leaving a bit of distance between the cookies.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden brown at the edges.
- Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool completely.
- To make the icing, combine ½ cup + 1 tablespoon powder sugar with 1 tablespoon water and ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or seeds from ½ vanilla bean. Stir until well combined, then dip the cookies into the icing so that half of each cookie is covered. Sprinkle some of the reserved almonds onto icing. Repeat for the rest of the cookies.