In my early adult days, I was not much of a cook. I started out as a baker and preferred it to cooking. Eventually, through necessity & practice, I got the hang of cooking but I will always be a baker at heart. Which is one of the reasons I love this time of year! I get to bake to my heart’s content.

With the holiday season upon us, my plan is to concentrate more on the baking side of things and less on main and side dish items that I usually do in this space.

To start off December, I am featuring a buttery bar cookie recipe that is loaded with almond flavor. We are big fans of almond flavored foods in this household!

Scandinavian Almond Bars (adapted from midwestliving.com) Total Time Required: 35 minutes, Hands-On Time: 20 minutes,  Makes: about 32 bars

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract, divided
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons milk, plus more for brushing
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the large bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add the egg and 1/2 teaspoon of the almond extract, mixing until they are combined.

Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing well.

Divide the dough into four pieces.

Roll each piece into a 10-inch log.

Place two of the logs, 4 to 5 inches apart, on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat on a second sheet with the other two logs.

Flatten the logs by hand until each is about 3 inches wide.

Brush each sheet with milk, then sprinkle with the sliced almonds.

Bake until the edges just begin to brown, about 13 minutes. While warm, bias-slice each log into eight to ten 1-inch-wide slices.

Cool the bars on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Remove the slices and cool on wire racks set over wax paper.

In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar with the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk and 1/4 teaspoon of the almond extract until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies.

Allow the glace to harden before serving or storing.

Baking season is upon us!  ~Linda

Scandinavian Almond Bars (adapted from midwestliving.com) Total Time Required: 35 minutes, Hands-On Time: 20 minutes,  Makes: 32 bars

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract, divided
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons milk, plus more for brushing
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the large bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar to the mixer and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Add the egg and 1/2 teaspoon of the almond extract, mixing until they are combined. Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing well.

Divide the dough into four pieces. Roll each piece into a 10-inch log. Place two of the logs, 4 to 5 inches apart, on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat on a second sheet with the other two logs. Flatten the logs by hand until each is about 3 inches wide. Brush each with milk and sprinkle with the sliced almonds.

Bake the sheets until the edges just begin to brown, about 13 minutes. While warm, bias-slice each sheet into eight to ten 1-inch-wide slices. Cool the bars on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Remove the slices and cool on wire racks set over wax paper.

In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar with the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk and 1/4 teaspoon of the almond extract, mixing until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies. Allow the glace to harden before serving or storing.