Almond Walnut Thumbprint Macaroons Recipes

ALMOND-WALNUT THUMBPRINT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Put the almonds in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until mostly powdered with a few crunchy bits remaining, about 15 pulses. Transfer to a large bowl. Put the walnuts in the food processor and pulse until mostly powdered. Add the walnuts to the almonds.
• Add the sugar, cardamom, egg and egg whites to the bowl and, using one hand, mix to combine. Cover with a towel and let the mixture sit for at least 8 hours or overnight to dry out a bit.
• Heat the oven to 325 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour rose water or 1 cup of water in a small shallow bowl. Dampen your hands with the rose water and scoop up about a tablespoon of the dough at a time, pressing it into walnut-size balls. Place the macaroons on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart and flatten them slightly. Use your thumb to make a small indentation in the middle of each.
• Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and cook for 15 minutes, then remove and put either 1/4 teaspoon of the raspberry jam or a pistachio in each thumbprint. Rotate the pans and continue baking for 10 more minutes or until golden and firm. Cool to room temperature on the baking sheets and serve or freeze.

FRENCH ALMOND MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. Combine sugar and almonds in food processor fitted with metal blade. Process 3 minutes to grind into a fine powder. If mixture is sticking, scrape down sides of bowl. Add starch and process 1 minute more.
• In another bowl or a mixer, whip egg whites, salt and extract together at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Working in 3 additions, fold almond mixture into egg whites, turning over and over until incorporated. Batter will be sticky and thick. Set aside to rest 20 minutes.
• Spoon batter by tablespoons onto prepared pans; cookies will spread to about 3-inch rounds, so leave plenty of room. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are puffed, golden and shiny, 18 to 20 minutes. As soon as cookies come out of oven, remove paper (with cookies on it) from baking sheet. Let cookies cool completely before removing from paper; use a thin metal spatula or knife blade if cookies stick.

RASPBERRY AND ALMOND SHORTBREAD THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Mix in flour until dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a small hole in the center of each ball, using your thumb and finger, and fill the hole with preserves.
• Bake for 14 to 18 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 3/4 teaspoon almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle lightly over warm cookies.

WALNUT THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. , Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each ball. , Combine filling ingredients; spoon about 1 teaspoonful into each cookie. Bake at 350° for 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks.

RASPBERRY THUMBPRINT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, salt and vanilla in a large bowl until combined; fold in the coconut.
• Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of the coconut mixture about 1 inch apart onto the baking sheet. Use your fingers to form into pyramids; bake 10 minutes. Make an indentation in each cookie using the back of a teaspoon; fill each with the raspberry jam, then continue baking until golden brown around the edges, 10 to 15 more minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

ALMOND-PINE NUT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 cookie trays with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Spread the pine nuts onto a jelly-roll pan lined with waxed or parchment paper.
• Break the almond paste into chunks and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the sugar and process until the mixture is homogenous, stopping once to scrape down the bowl using a rubber spatula. Add the egg whites and process until smooth. Scrape again and process for a few more seconds.
• The mixture will be sticky, but with a light touch and moist hands it can be gently rolled. Keep a damp towel nearby to wipe and wet your hands. Using damp hands, round the mix into scant 1-inch balls and drop the balls onto the tray of pine nuts. Once you have 3 to 4 balls formed, roll them in the nuts to cover completely. Place about 16 balls 1 1/2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the first tray while preparing the second, until the cookies are pale golden, and puffy, about 25 minutes. Place the baking sheets on wire cooling racks and cool the cookies completely before lifting them off. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 week.

MOCHA-WALNUT MACARONS

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 275°. Place confectioners' sugar, walnuts, cocoa and coffee in a food processor; process until finely ground and set aside., Add salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks. Gradually add superfine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Carefully fold in walnut mixture until blended., Pipe or drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 1 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Air dry for 30 minutes before baking. Bake 18-20 minutes. Remove macaroons from baking sheet to a wire rack; cool completely. Remove from parchment; store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Finely grind the almonds, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a food processor.
• Separate one of the eggs and add the white, the other egg, and almond extract and process until the mixture holds together. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chocolate.
• Moisten hands and roll mixture into 1-inch balls. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Flatten to 1/3-inch thick rounds.
• Bake until tops puff and centers are still soft, about 12 minutes. Remove to a rack and cool completely. Replace parchment paper for next round of cookies.

COCONUT-NUT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together egg whites, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well with a rubber spatula or your hands.
• Use a nonstick baking sheet, or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wet your hands and make small piles of the mixture, each 1 to 2 tablespoons; place on sheet about an inch apart.
• Bake until firm to the touch and lightly browning on edges, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet and cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before eating. These keep well in a covered container for up to 3 days.

ITALIAN ALMOND MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the almond paste, egg whites and lemon extract until smooth. Sift together the white sugar and confectioners' sugar, then combine sugars with the flour and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture along with the food coloring of your choice. Drop by teaspoonfuls, two inches apart, onto the prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle some nuts on top of each cookie.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are golden around the edges. Cool for a few minutes on baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Store or freeze in an airtight container.

ALMOND JOY COOKIES (CHOCOLATE MACAROON THUMBPRINT)

Steps:

• Beat butter, sugar and salt.
• Add cocoa, melted chocolate and vanilla.
• Add eggs and beat until creamy.
• Slowly add flour and blend only until combined.
• Chill in refrigerator several hours.
• Meanwhile combine macaroon ingredients by hand in a small bowl.
• Form dough into balls using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon and drop onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Flatten each ball with your thumb, leaving a depression in the center of each.
• Fill each depression with 1 tsp of macaroon.
• Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes, until cookies no longer look wet on top.
• Cool completely on wire rack.
• When cookies are cool.
• Melt chocolate for drizzle.
• Add shortening and stir well.
• Drizzle over cookies.

ALMOND MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Combine egg whites, unblanched almonds and sugar and grind, using fine blade of meat grinder or food processor. Mixture should be fairly thick and fine and should drop off spoon in a mass.
• Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between them. Top each with slice of blanched almond.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, or until cookies turn pale brown. Remove from pan when cool.