These delicate little lace cookies-also known as Italian Florentine cookies-are so easy to make and a fun addition to your holiday cookie spread. They are shatteringly crispy and caramelly with just enough flour and almonds to barely hold the cookies together. They aren't like any other cookie you've made and feel more like making a caramel than a cookie because you're melting butter and sugar together on the stove to start the dough.
Each cookie only uses a teaspoon of batter, which might look wrong at first, but they spread quite a bit in the oven into thin, lacey disks. Florentine cookies often include candied orange or orange zest and often a mix of hazelnuts and almonds, while this recipe just features the almonds. A little orange zest added to these cookies would be delicious! The chocolate on these lace cookies is totally optional too. Either spread the bottoms with a slick of chocolate or give the tops a light drizzle. For sweet and salty lovers, sprinkle some flaky sea salt on before the chocolate sets!
Pro tip: The cookies need at least 5 minutes to cool on the pan before removing them. If you try before then, they won't be set and you'll probably feel like they're stuck on forever. As the cookies cool, they harden, making it a breeze to peel off the parchment paper. Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen, with a piece a parchment between each cookie and in a freezer-safe container, for up to 3 months.
Have you made these yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
Yields: 4 dozen
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
(105 g.) whole blanched almonds
(30 g.) all-purpose flour
kosher salt
(85 g.) unsalted butter
(105 g.) packed light brown sugar
(55 g.) heavy cream
(50 g.) granulated sugar
pure vanilla extract
(170 g.) chocolate chips, melted (optional)