I’m at home in New Brunswick.
Lazy mornings have been spent lingering over coffee in the sunniest spot of the house – the kitchen table. It’s nestled into a cozy corner.
The windows gaze out on giant evergreens and a serene snow-covered field on one side, and a porch railing dotted with charming little chickadees on the other.
In mama’s house, nearly every inch of wall-space is host to colourful art, and mostly her own – she’s a wonderful artist.
Watching the snow tumble down with warm fingers wrapped around my new favourite mug (a gift from mama), feet snug in stripy hand-knit wool socks (another gift from mama), I am just so aware of how beautiful this place is, and how lucky I am to have such a lovely patchwork family with such a cozy home to come back to.
Sliced almonds, tangy cream cheese and sweet cardamom combine in this delightfully crumbly cookie. They are perfect winter treats – dust them with confectioners’ sugar to finish and they even look like snowballs.
Perfect to enjoy on a snowy day, sitting at a warm kitchen table.
Almond-Cardamom Cream Cheese Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 8 oz / 225 grams
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ½ cup cream cheese 4 oz / 115 grams (1/2 block)
- 1 cup butter softened (8 oz / 225 grams)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 grams
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 cup sliced blanched almonds
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cardamom; set aside.
- Combine the cream cheese, butter and sugar in a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla and almond extracts.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture until fully combined. Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator and chill the dough for one hour (or up to 24 hours).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the almonds out on a large plate. Form the dough into balls between your palms, 1 tablespoon per cookie. Roll each ball in the almonds, pressing to adhere. Bake the cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased (ideally parchment-lined) baking sheet about 12 minutes, until the almonds are golden and the cookies are firm, rotating once during baking. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These cookies have become a Christmas tradition of mine since I found this recipe 3 or 4 years ago. I send them out with packages to all of my nieces and nephews. They’re so good!