I have several variations of these cookies that I bake, but this one is probably my favorite. Many years ago I was looking for a new cookie recipe and came across one that looked so pretty with pink frosting, so I clicked it. I baked them, tweaking the recipe here and there as I always do. (I love putting my own spin on things.) Friends and family loved them, so I kept baking them. Year after year. Changing up the flavors for different occasions. To this day they’re a family favorite, so I thought I’d share them with you. :)

For this Christmas version, I combined an old family recipe with this recipe and came up with almond candy cane. It may sound weird, but it’s a perfect combination. Unlike most cookies, you serve these cookies frozen. Which was weird when I first read about frozen cookies. But there is just something about the frozen cookie and buttercream that really makes these unforgettable. Ok enough chatting. Let’s get baking! :)

Almond Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
3/4 cup avocado oil (or whatever oil you prefer. Canola, Vegetable….)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons water
2 eggs
5 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions:
Cream butter & sugars (white & powdered) once creamed (about 3 minutes) add in your oil, eggs and water. Mix well.

In a large bowl whisk together; flour, salt and baking soda.

Add dry to wet and mix until combined.

Roll into balls and put on parchment lined baking sheet.

On a plate put about 1/4 cup of white sugar & get a drinking glass and wet the bottom with water and press down firmly on the cookies (You’ll need to dip the glass in sugar before pressing each cookie otherwise it will stick to the cookies.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes. Take cookies out of oven, just as the bottoms are starting to brown. You do not want to overcook them. Remove from hot cookie sheet and put cookies in the freezer for about 10 minutes until cold to the touch. Frost with almond buttercream (recipe below) and sprinkle crushed candy canes (put candy canes in a bag and crush them up) then put cookies back in the freezer for at least an hour. Once they’re frozen you can put them in freezer bags and store for up to a month. When you want one, just take it out and eat. You can let them sit for a few minutes, but I don’t recommend more than 5-10, because they are truly best eaten frozen.

Buttercream frosting recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup—2 sticks of butter
1 bag of powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp almond extract
1+ Tablespoon of milk (if you need to thin frosting out add a splash more. You want this to be pretty thick.)
2 drops of gel food coloring if using. Typically I don’t like adding it because of the artificial dyes. But you can either omit it which I typically do or get dye free gel food coloring.

Beat butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the powdered sugar, and continue beating until the sugar is fully incorporated. Then add vanilla and almond extract and milk and beat on low until incorporated. Turn mixer back up to medium-high speed and beat the buttercream for another 5-7 minutes. It should be light and fluffy. If the buttercream is too thick, add in a splash of milk until it’s your desired consistency.

Hope you enjoy! :)

xo, Elizabeth