Easy Holiday Wreath Cookies

The first flurries have fallen and I've already been fantastically productive. That's so unlike me! It's not even Christmas Eve! But wonder of wonders...the halls have been decked, the Christmas lights untangled. And I've already made a DOZEN homemade Christmas wreaths. All banged out in under an hour. No, silly. I'm not talking about the evergreen variety for the front door, but wreath shaped cookies for Christmas. Sweet, delicious, slightly chewy almond cookies made with SOLO almond paste. Now, I'll have something sweet to nibble on every day as I count down to Christmas.

What's Special about these Almond Wreath Cookies?

1. No Butter, No Egg Yolk

Have you ever made a cookie without butter or egg yolk? Well, there's always a first time.

These Butterless Christmas Wreath Cookies with almond extract don't have any butter or egg yolk, the staple ingredients in most cookies. Instead, these cookies are made with Solo almond paste. The fat content in the almond paste eliminates the need for butter or egg yolk.

2. Chewy, Not Soft!

*WARNING*: Those with dentures, stay clear. All others, dive in.

The addition of sugar and egg whites gives these Solo almond paste cookies a slightly chewy texture, sort of like a mix between a meringue and an Italian nougat (Torrone). 

So don't expect a traditional soft cookie. But instead, enjoy the unexpected flavor and texture of  this dense, chewy cookie.

These holiday cookies take wreath making to a whole new level. Craft and bake your very own adorable Holiday Wreath Cookies with almonds and sugar to give your guests a warm welcome to the season. Nothing says it's time to celebrate better than almonds and sugar.

Solo Almond Paste

I bought a couple of boxes of Solo Almond Paste to make marzipans. Since I had a box left over, I decided to make these Almond Christmas Wreath cookies. SOLO Almond Paste takes all the work out of making any almond confection. It's a ground paste of blanched almonds, sugar and water formed into a solid brick. 

How do you use Solo Almond Paste?

1. It's really simple. For this cookie recipe, just crumble the almond paste brick up into small pieces using your finger tips before mixing in the sugar to form coarse crumbs. 
2. Then add the beaten egg white and almond essence. Mix well until moist and sticky.
3. Add flour to the mixture and incorporate to form a ball of cookie dough. 

And there you go! The Solo Almond Paste Cookie Dough is ready in a matter of minutes. Now you can devote a little extra time and attention to making the pretty wreaths.

Tips: How to Make Christmas Wreath Cookies

• To make the dough easier to handle, pop it into the refrigerator to cool it. The dough is easier to roll and cut when cold.
• I didn't have a doughnut cutter, so I used a small glass and an appropriate sized bottle cap to make the wreath shapes.
• Dip the cutter in flour so that the dough cuts cleanly and doesn't stick to the cutter.

Almond Wreath Cookies Recipe

Servings: 12-14 wreath cookies

Ingredients:

☐ One 8oz package of almond paste

☐ 2/3 cup granulated sugar

☐ 1 egg white lightly beaten plus additional egg white for brushing.

☐ 1 drop almond extract

☐ 1/4 cup all purpose flour, plus more for dusting as required

☐ Sliced almonds

Step by Step Instructions:

Step 1: Prep

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Step 2: Make the cookie dough

Crumble almond paste into small pieces. Add sugar and mix well to form coarse crumbs.

Add the beaten egg white and almond essence. Mix well until moist and sticky.

Add flour to the mixture and incorporate to form a ball of dough. You may need to add a little extra flour until the dough becomes manageable to handle.

Step 3: Roll and Cut

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness.

Using a doughnut cutter, cut dough into 12-14 cookies, rerolling scraps as necessary.

Step 4: Decorate

Transfer the wreaths onto the parchment lined baking tray.

Brush with beaten egg white. Arrange/ sprinkle with sliced almonds. Brush with egg white once again and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Step 5: Bake 

Bake at 350°F for 14-18 minutes until golden brown.

TIP: For a softer cookie, bake for less time (13-15 minutes). For a harder, slightly chewier cookie bake for 16-18 minutes.

 

Wondering what else can you do with Solo Almond paste? Make marzipan!

Click on the "Sweets and Desserts" label below to see my other recipes.