Ghorayebah (Almond Cookies)

Yield: about 40 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3 1/2 cups plain flour
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 40 whole blanched almonds

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and sift together the flour and sugar. Fold the mixture into the butter and stir in the almond extract.
2. Knead gently and set to chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Pinch off lumps of dough about 1 inch in diameter and roll them into balls. Flatten them slightly and press a whole almond into the top of each one.
4. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet for 15 minutes or until they just start to color golden.
5. Cool and then store in an airtight container.

Notes

Variation: Up to half the flour may be replaced by ground almonds.

Attribution

Recipes for an Arabian Night by David Scott