MISE EN PLACE FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH

• Toast the almond slices in the oven until golden brown OR spoon 1/2 cup of almond flour into a skillet and toast the flour, stirring constantly. Let cool .
• Wiz in a food processor until finely ground.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside
• Add the almond flour to the dry ingredients.

• Measure the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand or hand-held mixer.
• Zest the orange. Read more about zesting citrus here.
• Separate the egg, place the yolk in a small bowl and add the vanilla to it. Stir to combine.
• Cover the egg white in plastic and refrigerate.
• Finally, spread two large sheets of plastic wrap onto a clean section of counter space for the finished dough.

ASSEMBLE THE COOKIE DOUGH

• Beat together butter and sugar for about 3 minutes until fluffy. Read The Finer Cookie’s post about how to cream butter and sugar here.

• Add egg yolk, orange zest, and vanilla; beat to combine. Add dry ingredients to the bowl and beat until the dry ingredients are moistened.

• Divide dough into two equal pieces. Form each piece into a 1-inch wide log and roll them in the plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight.

CUT THE COOKIES

• Adjust oven rack to lower and middle positions and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line 3-4 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• With you serrated blade, cut the first log into generous ¼ inch slices.

• Arrange about 15 per tray (they will not spread) and refrigerate until all the cookies are cut.

COATING THE COOKIES

• Spread the sliced or slivered almonds onto a flat surface, or in wide mouth bowl.
• Ready the egg white.
• Working quickly, keeping the dough cold (or cool), dip one side of the cookie into the egg white and press the cookie into the sliced or slivered almonds.

• The sliced almonds will stick randomly and will not necessarily stay neatly within the limits of the cookie. This is okay.
• Press the cookie until there is a somewhat even coating of almonds on the surface of the dough.

• Repeat with the remaining cookies and refrigerate until ready to bake.

BAKE THE COOKIES

• Bake at 350ºF for about 15 minutes until golden.
• Bake for a minute or two less for a chewy cookie or bake for a minute or two more for a crunchy one. I like them a little crunchy.

• If the cookies are baked, but the almonds aren’t brown, It might be necessary to set the tray under the broiler for a few minutes, just to get a nice toasty texture. This last step will transform your cookie from one that is delicious to one that is especially delicious.

• Let cool 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Using your two fingers, pinch the confectioners sugar and sprinkle the tops of each cookie. Then follow with the finely ground black pepper if you’d like.