Oh this is a good cookie for those days that you plan ahead to make a good cookie. I suppose it could also be an off the cuff “I need a cookie now” recipe as well. If you have the ingredients handy really any recipe could be an “I need a cookie now” recipe – made, not necessarily baked, that day. This is an olive oil cookie with ground almonds and all-purpose flour, scented with my orange citrus sugar. Subtle elegant taste to this one!  I’m sure we all have those “I need a cookie now” moments right?!

I like how the flavors come together in this recipe.  The ground almonds always give anything a dense rich mouthfeel, the olive oil – extra virgin of course, a freshness and finally the citrus sugar, puts a smile on your face. The citrus sugar in this case is actually a combination of orange and lemon. I always have this handy and I hope you do as well. If you love to bake you must keep a jar of this handy. The oranges, lemons and limes I buy come with zest included in the price – I know, what a deal!  (See https://foodinspires.com/2018/03/15/making-citrus-sugar/ in case you don’t have any handy.)

This was one batch of cookie dough that I divide into two portions. I like to do that when I know I will have a big batch of dough like in this recipe – just for the fun of it.  Out of the first portion, I baked the cookies as soon as the dough was ready.  For the second portion, I rolled the dough into a log and refrigerated it for an hour. Both yielded delicious results but the one that was refrigerated, to me, had a smoother mouth feel to it. This was an experiment to see if letting it rest does make a difference – it does! The dough transformed into a smooth log after resting. In both cases a delicious cookie!  I also rolled the first batch of cookies in citrus sugar before baking – little round balls the width of a quarter, then rolled in sugar and flattened to 1/4″. Baking time for this was 12 minutes. The ones I sliced from the refrigerated log, I didn’t roll in sugar. Again, both delicious but I should point out my wife – a cookie connoisseur, liked the ones without the refrigeration period, I liked the refrigerated dough process.    

Really either way is wonderful – almonds, olive oil, citrus sugar – what’s not to like!  Add this cookie to your repertoire and of course, I’m listing suggestions and changes below the actual recipe. Wear a mask or two, wash your hands, socialize responsibly and above all, stay safe. As always – enjoy!

Ingredients 
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp Kosher salt
1 cup citrus sugar – remove two tablespoons for rolling the dough in
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large eggs
Zest of 1 orange
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions 
If using the “make right away” method, set the oven at 350f and line a baking tray or 2 with parchment
Combine the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt – mix and set aside
To the bowl of a hand or stand mixer, add the olive oil and citrus sugar – mix on low – about 30 seconds
Add the eggs, zest and vanilla – mix on low until combined
Add the flour mixture and on low stir together to combine – take it to the dough stage – no dry flour left and everything mixed – about 1 minute
Scoop out teaspoon sized balls of dough and form a circle, roll the circle in the citrus sugar (you will need additional citrus sugar if you are doing the entire batch right away), place on the tray and flatten with the palm of your hand to about ¼” thick – cookies won’t spread much so you can get a lot on a tray
Bake for 10 – 12 minutes – mine took 12 – remove from the oven and allow to cool
If you are making cookies using the resting in the fridge method, scrape the dough onto a piece of parchment and roll into a log – refrigerate for 1 hour
After 1 hour, heat the oven to 350f and line a baking tray with parchment
Remove the log from the fridge, and slice into ¼” thick slices
Sprinkle some of the citrus sugar on top of the cookie (you might need additional citrus sugar for this)
Bake for 10 – 12 minutes – mine took 12 – remove from the oven and allow to cool
Store in an airtight container or freeze for later devouring (make sure you label and date it – remember everything looks like chicken after a few weeks in the freezer)

Suggestions and/or changes
If you are grinding whole nuts at home, roast/toast them before grinding – either in a dry pan or in the oven at 350f for 10 – 15 minutes. In either case, transfer immediately to a bowl to cool or they will burn with the residual heat of the pan
This would also work great with pecans, hazelnuts or walnuts
Add 1 teaspoon of orange or lemon extract in addition to the vanilla
Add 1 teaspoon of almond or nut extract to the dough
Press a whole almond (or whatever nut you are using) into the cookie dough and flatten before baking
Add any finely minced dried fruit – cranberries, sour cherries, blueberries, apricots etc, to the flour mixture and stir well – use your fingers to separate chunks of fruit that may stick together, then add it to the egg mixture and combine