If You Give Me a Cup of Coffee
Years ago, I was a coffee addict. As soon as I woke up, there was a cup of coffee in my hand. Two cups usually did the trick, but occasionally, there was a need for a third. Since that time, I cut out caffeinated coffee (most of the time) and I, now, stick to a cup of decaf, when I am in the mood.
I never stopped loving the taste of coffee, but I was finding that the caffeine was doing a number on my sleep cycle. Funny thing is, I can eat a pound of chocolate just before bedtime and sleep like a baby; but let someone give me a cup of decaf in the afternoon and I will be blasting that person’s name out loud at 2:00 in the morning.
Regardless of when one enjoys coffee, it is always lovely to have a cookie along with the drink. Doesn’t have to be sweet; just has to be satisfying.
Last week happened to be a heavy coffee drinking week for me. Being a creature of habit, I got to work right away on baking Toasted Almond Cookies, and couldn’t help but think of the childrens’ book, “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie” by Laura Joffe Numeroff. The premise is that if you give a mouse a cookie, he will want some milk, which will lead to something else, until finally the mouse gets back to wanting a cookie. Oh how I relate!
The toasted almonds are chopped, or in my case beaten with a rolling pin, and then mixed into the dough. After the dough is formed into logs, it is refrigerated several hours or overnight. When ready, l have slice and bake cookies.
The dough freezes, beautifully; I will often slice one of the logs and then freeze the other two, wrapping them well in plastic wrap and a freezer bag. This way I know that when a major coffee craving hits me, I will be prepared. And I do not even need a mouse to remind me of what it is that I want with my coffee.
| Toasted Almond Cookies | | Print |
- Cookies:
- 3½ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup almonds, toasted and chopped
- Topping:
- ¼ cup turbinado sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- For the cookies:
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside.
- Combine the eggs, brown sugar and sugar in a mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the melted butter and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix on low speed until well blended. Lastly, add the chopped almonds.
- Divide the dough into thirds and place on separate pieces of wax paper. Roll each into a log shape. Wrap each third up and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
- For the topping:
- Preheat the oven to 350º.
- Combine the turbinado sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Unwrap the logs, one at a time, cut the dough into just under ½“ thick slices and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Sprinkle the sugar/cinnamon over each cookie.
- Bake at 350° oven for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back halfway through. The tops will be a nutty brown color. Cool on the baking sheets.
- Betsy's tidbits:
- I like to use any extra tubinado sugar/cinnamon to add to a cup of coffee and/or top pancakes with. So many possibilities.
