Allrecipes shared with me these fun cookie facts:
- Allrecipes members viewed 31 million cookie recipes in December 2010, a 21% increase from 2009.
- · The weekend before Christmas, December 18th and 19th, 2010 marked the busiest days for viewing cookie recipes
- · 96% of home cooks believe sharing holiday cookies is a good way to show they care
- · Top recipients for holiday cookies include friends and family, co-workers, troops, first responders, church groups, and the postman.
- · Sugar cookies are the #1 holiday cookie type. Classics such as chocolate chip, peanut butter and gingerbread also fall into the top 10 cookie recipes.
Community members of Allrecipes and Nestlé USA have pledged to bake more than 13,848 cookies so far this holiday season. Visit the Facebook page and YOU can take the pledge to bake for Cookies Across America.
Taste of Home was kind enough to send me their gorgeous Taste of Home Cookies magazine. Filled with amazing cookies, it was not easy choosing the first cookie to bake from it.
I fell in love with the Scandinavian Almond Bars and couldn't wait to bake them. Sort of like a biscotti, these cookies are crisp and rich with a delicate almond flavor. The light crunch from the almond slivers and the soft, sweet sugar drizzle…this is a cookie we will be making every Christmas.
Scandinavian Almond Bars
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter, softened
1 egg
½ teaspoon almond extract
1-¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon 2% milk (I used almond milk:)
½ cup sliced almonds, chopped
ICING:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 to 2 tablespoons 2% milk
Directions
In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg and extract. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Divide dough into fourths; form into 12-in. x 3-in. rectangles. Place 5 in. apart on greased baking sheets.
Brush with milk.
Sprinkle with almonds.
Bake at 325° for 18-20 minutes or until firm to the touch and edges are lightly browned. Cool on pans for 5
minutes.
Cut diagonally into 1-in. slices. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
In a small bowl, combine the confectioner's sugar, extract and enough milk to achieve desired consistency; drizzle over bars.
Yield: about 4 dozen.
What special things do you do to share with your community during Christmas or throughout the year?:)
Wonderful cause, Lora, and beautiful cookies! Hope you are enjoying a wonderful holiday season, my love! And your home must be filled with amazing baked goods!
Looks tasty! I think I've tried something similar in Germany, before.
these look fabulous
Nagyon finomnak látom,még nézni is jó!!!!
Beautiful shortbread! Love that you're doing this for your community,
Holy yum! That looks so delicious! I love anything and everything, almonds 🙂
Yum these look SO good! Can't wait to make them, wish I had one right now!
Our family makes a traditional scandinavian treat very similar to this called kringle every year. A wonderful and tasty tradition. I love making cookies and have definitely made my fair share this holiday season!
Those look delish! You can send me a batch any ole' time love, I promise they won't go to waste.
Those sound incredible! I love anything that involves almonds.
I've been making a lot of cookies lately, and I've been loving sharing them with friends and family. Thank you for whetting my appetite with these treats. Now I don't want to go to work in the morning, I just want to get in the kitchen and cook! I hope you have a blessed week, my friend!
Wow! These are incredible1 They remind me a little of biscotti, but a bit more like short bread! I'm your newest follower and SO nice to meet you! Have a GREAT day - you've made mine!
Lora,the biscotti looks fabulous!This is a very easy recipe you have here - have bookmarked it and I'm going to try them pretty soon:)Thanks a bunch for sharing!I am following your wonderful blog BTW and am your newest follower!
Looks fabulous darling! Would love a whole pan of these for breakfast 🙂
Almond deliciousness - I wish these were at the cookie exchange I went to 🙂 Merry Christmas, Lora!
Lora...what a wonderful almond bars...perfect for Xmas 🙂 here is me wishing you and family "Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year 🙂