Scandinavian Almond Bars

Since I am still on vacation at my parents home for the holidays I haven’t been cooking.  However I did enough baking this holiday season to post about that.   For the last two holiday seasons I have baked myself sick making cookies for all my friends, family, and co-workers.   Last year I ended up making 12 different types, which was exhausting and too much.  This year I settled on making 7 types.   I planned a last minute Christmas party at my apartment and had a week to make all 7 kinds (plus a hand-made gingerbread house).  My favorite cookie, out of the seven I made, was the Scandinavian Almond Bars which I took from my family’s cookbook.  I will eventually get all my cookies I made on the site but for now here are the Almond Bars (and you already have the buckeyes from my last post.)

Scandinavian Almond Bars

Ingredients for cookies:
1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup  butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp almond extract
milk
1/2 cup sliced almonds coarsely chopped

Ingredients for glaze:
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract
3 to 4 tsp milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.

Stir together flour, baking powder, and  salt.  In a large mixing bowl beat butter until softened.  Add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add egg and almond extract and beat well.  Add flour mixture in gradually and stir until well mixed.

Divide the dough into fourths.  Form each portion into a 12 inch roll.  Place 2 rolls 4-5 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten each roll until it is 3 inches wide.  Repeat with remaining rolls.  Brush each flattened roll with a little milk and sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons of chopped almonds.  Bake in oven for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.

While still warm cut crosswise at a diagonal into 1 inch strips.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

To make glaze:  Stir together powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and enough milk to make a drizzling consistency.  Drizzle over the cooled bars.  Easy Clean-up Tip-  Place bars on already used baking sheets when drizzling the glaze over them.

Also when serving cookie platters with other types on cookies,  cut bars in half since they are larger then most cookies.

Enjoy

-K