Shortbread Cookies with Apricot and Almonds (Almond Flour)
Soft and buttery Apricot Almond Shortbread Cookies filled with dried stone fruit and nuts. An easy cookie recipe for a holiday, spring and summer.
2 cups blanched superfine almond flour (250 g)
⅔ cup Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Powdered)
¾ tsp. sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter cold, cut into 1" chunks (226 g)
1½ Tbsp. water or other liquid
½ cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
⅓ cup almonds
In a food processor, add the flour, almond flour, sugar and salt. Pulse together a few times to mix.
Add the butter chunks around the flour along with the water. Pulse again until the dough starts to come together. Do not over process. It should still look crumbly. The dough should stick together when squeezed. If too dry, add a little more water and briefly incorporate.
Add the dried fruit and almonds and pulse just to combine.
Dump the dough onto a large sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Start pressing it together into a log shape, and roll up the paper around it to help make it into a log approximately 2" wide and 12" long. Twist the ends and place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C/140°C fan, Gas Mark 3) with the rack in the middle position.
Remove the dough log from the paper and using a serrated knife, slice the dough into ½" (or thinner) pieces.
Place the cookies on a silicone mat or parchment lined baking sheet at least one inch apart. Bake approximately 20 minutes, until the bottom edges that touch the baking sheet are just starting to turn a golden brown.
Remove the cookies from the oven. Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool.
Cook's Notes:
- You can also make this by hand by pinching the butter into the flour mixture, or using a pastry cutter or fork. If it gets too warm from your hands, chill for a few minutes before continuing.
- If you want to make these in a square pan and cut them into triangles or rectangles, follow instructions for Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies after making the dough.
- These will be soft cookies. If you want harder, crunchier cookies instead, use the same amount of granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar.
- Fresh apricots will add too much moisture. We want to use dried apricots for this reason.
- You can replace the almond flour with more all-purpose flour if desired.
- You can experiment with the flavour by adding a tsp. of almond extract to enhance the almond flavour.
- Consider incorporating a Tbsp. of finely grated orange zest for a citrusy twist that complements the apricots.
- The dough should hold together when you take a small handful and squeeze it. If too dry, add a Tbsp. of water at a time until it holds together. A little crumbling is okay but it should easily stick together.
- Using some almond flour for flavour makes the cookies a little more delicate and they develop a little brown crumb like texture around the bottom edge when baking. I easily removed this by brushing the bottom edge with my finger when removing from the baking sheet to cool.
- Chilling the dough is KEY since there is so much butter. This helps prevent the cookies from spreading.
- It is important to not use too much water. You want the dough to JUST hold together. Too much moisture will lead to cookies that spread out.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What is the secret to making good shortbread cookies? To make good shortbread cookies you want to make sure that the dough is not overmixed, that you chill the dough, and you do not add too much moisture to the dough.
- Is it best to chill shortbread dough before baking? Yes, you want to chill shortbread dough before baking. This helps the cookies hold their shape.
- What makes shortbread taste like shortbread? Shortbread cookies are known for being soft, buttery, and crumbly.
- Can I freeze shortbread? Yes. Shortbread freezes very well. Wrap well in a container or bag and freeze for up to three months. You can freeze either the raw dough or baked cookies.