Given the time of year, Rose’s Alpha Bakers are turning out cookies for a second week. This week it’s Almond Coffee Crisps. Last week, we made The Ischler. As always, Marie’s roundup of our results was informative and witty. As someone who loves to bake cookies, loves to eat cookies, and raised three cookie monsters, it came as a huge surprise that many of my fellow bakers aren’t fans of the cookie! Hopefully, this week’s almond coffee crisps will win them over!
The almond coffee crisps require few ingredients and are quick and easy to assemble. Almonds are toasted and then processed with dry ingredients. Sugar and butter are combined, then it all goes together.
As the name indicates, instant espresso powder goes into the dough. The espresso powder should also be sprinkled or dusted over the finished cookies. I’m saving these to serve on Christmas morning and two family members are not fond of coffee, so I skipped the coffee topping. I guess I’ll find out of they’ve been reading by blog if they turn up their nose at the cookies without trying them or try them and join the ranks of people would ask what that usual spice is in the cookie. 😉
I baked this recipe today, at the last minute, but many of my fellow bakers were more on the ball and have been baking over the last week. Our results have been mixed. Many are picture perfect, but several have had their cookies sort of melt and and become lace-like in appearance.
Thats what happened with my first batch. They were also very brown within the 10 minute baking time. I think I did two things wrong, I might have pressed the dough out a little too thin, and I was using a dark pan with a silpat.
For subsequent batches, I moved my silpat to a light pan, paid more attention to the thickness of the cookie and reduced the heat by five degrees, just to be on the safe side. My results were much improved. I did notice, however, that one corner of my oven was turning out cookies that were flatter and more bubble filled in appearance. A hot spot, I guess.
No matter what — flat, dark, and full of holes or just as Rose said they should be, these Almond Coffee Crisps are delicious, with a buttery, nutty taste and addicting crunch.
An accountant by trade and a food blogger since 2009, Lois Britton fell in love with Polish cuisine during the years she lived in Poznań, Poland. As the creator of PolishHousewife.com, she loves connecting readers with traditional Polish recipes. Lois has a graduate certificate in Food Writing and Photography from the University of South Florida. She is the author of The Polish Housewife Cookbook, available on Amazon and on her website.
Vicki B
It’s amazing what a difference the type of pan can make. I think reducing the heat was a smart idea and will try that next time.
polishhousewife
There was a time when that dark cookie sheet was the only one I had!
Julie Kenkel
You’ll have to get used to your “old” oven again! If you could crank out awesomeness in your little Polish oven, just imagine what awaits you now! Happy Baking Lois!
polishhousewife
I won’t complain about my American oven; I love being able to put three cake pans in at once.
Michele
Lois, I was surprised at how subtle the coffee flavor is, even with the sprinkled on espresso powder. I am NOT a coffee drinker! Mine also got really brown really fast. Anyway, your cookies look great, and I wish you a wonderful Christmas. Please take a minute to stop by and see my results at http://www.artfuloven.com. Best wishes!
polishhousewife
Good to know, Michele; Merry Christmas to you too!