Orange Shortbread Cookies

Almond and Orange shortbread cookies are perfect with a cup of Coffee. Buttery and bursting with amazing citrus fall flavors. Easy to make and these are egg-less cookies. And the whole house smells amazing !!! 

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/4 Cups of All purpose Flour
• 1/2 Cup Almond meal
• 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• a pinch of salt
• 3/4 Cup of powdered granulated white sugar
• 1/2 Cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• Zest of one orange
• 3 Tablespoon freshly squeezed Orange Juice
• 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Preparation :

Almond Meal : 

Homemade almond meal is so easy to make. In less than five minutes, you can grind fresh almond meal and it is much cheaper than the readily available store bought one. Place 1/2 cup of raw unblanched almonds in a spice grinder / coffee bean grinder. Pulse it several times until a fine textured almond meal forms. Do not over grind, you will end up making almond butter since almond starts leaving oil.  That's it , homemade almond meal is ready!!! 

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl , combine all purpose flour, almond meal, baking soda and salt. Set aside
2. In a large bowl, add powdered sugar. Add the orange zest to the sugar and gently rub the zest with sugar until the sugar turns pale orange 

3. Add butter to the sugar and using a hand blender cream it together for 2 minutes until the mixture is creamy and smooth

                                     


4. Add vanilla extract and orange juice and mix everything together
6. Finally add the flour we have from step number 1 into the butter mixture in three additions. Make sure that the flour is completely blended with butter with no lumps
7. Cover with cling wrap and keep the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 20 minutes
8. Preheat the oven to 180 C
9. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
10. Using a ice cream scoop , scoop out dough and place it on the parchment paper. Flatten it a little bit. If you do not flatten, the cookie will be slightly thicker
11. Make sure to leave space between the cookies as they expand while baking
12. Bake at 180 C for 20 to 22 minutes or until they have a nice golden color over the edges
13. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely. When they are fresh out of the oven , the cookies will be very soft and they will turn crispy once cooled
14. Store in airtight container.