The weeks before Christmas are the time for Christmas markets, mulled wine, bratwurst and candied almonds aka. »gebrannte Mandeln«. You can smell the nuts basically everywhere. Sooo good! Instead of just enjoying the smell of the nuts and nibbling on them, you can use them for baking as well. These Candied Almonds & Chocolate Nougat Cookies are the perfect sweet treat to use up »leftover nuts«… should there be any leftover after a visit to the Christmas market. ;P
I know. When writing down that last sentence, I realized immediately it’s absolute nonsense. As if there would ever be any leftovers from a little bag of candied almonds from the Christmas market. These small bags of nuts are usually eaten in record times. Give me a glass of mulled wine or apple cider, someone to talk to, and these little nuts disappear in no time at all. It’s like having a bag of chips while watching a movie ;P
In case you want to bake these delicious cookies here, it’s advisable to buy an extra bag just for the cookies and keep them in a safe place where none of your friends or family members can get them. ;P Or you make them at home. If you don’t have a Christmas market around that sells candied almonds or don’t want to pay the hefty prices for those nuts, you are better off making them at home. Candied Almonds are quite easy to prepare tbh.
In Germany, we call this type of cookie »Löffelkekse« aka. »Spoon Cookies«. Don’t ask me why. I mean, I know why they are called that, but don’t ask me. I think it sounds ridiculous. But hey… Germans are known for giving weird names to a lot of stuff. Have you ever heard of »Backpfeifengesicht«? It means you have a face that basically screams to be slapped with a hand. Well… I actually love that word ;P
Anyway. These cookies are part of the world renown baking event called »Bake Together – The Baking Surprise« ;) Once a month my lovely baking blogger friend Andrea from Zimtkeks & Apfeltarte, and I get together and bake. Well, we bake together in spirit, because we live in different parts of Germany… but we surprise each other with the results. That part is correct. This month was all about »Löffelkekse« – cookies you can place on the baking sheet with two spoons. What a coincidence, right? ;)
Well. In addition to the roasted almonds, there was also some chocolate nougat from my cabinets, that made it into the cookie dough. I love this combination even though it is not very common. Chocolate nougat is made with hazelnuts and combining that with candied almonds… actually haven’t seen that anywhere yet. Only here on the blog (check down below). :P
These days I have to be a bit more careful with what I eat and anything with chocolate nougat is off the list to be honest. Chocolate nougat is made with a lot of sugar. Not my favorite ingredient these days. ;P But that does not mean I am not using it for baking – most of you out there do not have to think about stuff like that and can simply enjoy those sweet treats. And for all of you, are my recipes. Just sayin’ ;P
Anyway. I know you like cookies if you ended up here. So let’s bake cookies all day, shall we? I got more cookies with candied almonds and chocolate nougat here on the blog (I told you, I love the combination): Candied Almonds & Chocolate Nougat Sandwich Cookies, for example. They are sooo good! You will love them too! In case you are more into American Cookies, you should try my Candied Almonds Chocolate Chip Cookies. Equally delicious!
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(10 cookies)
1/2 cup (120g) butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 large egg
7 oz. (200g) spelt flour*
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
4.2 oz. (120g) roasted (candied) almonds, roughly chopped & divided
1.8 oz. (50g) chocolate nougat for baking*, in small cubes
(10 Cookies)
120g weiche Butter
50g brauner Zucker
1 Prise Salz
1 Ei (L)
200g Dinkelmehl (Type 630)*
2 TL Backpulver
1 TL Zimt
120g gebrannte Mandeln, grob gehackt & aufgeteilt
50g schnittfestes Nougat*, in kleinen Würfeln
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. Roughly chop the almonds – use about 100g (3.5 oz.) for the dough and the rest for the decorations. Cut the firm chocolate nougat into small cubes. Set everything aside.
2. Add the butter, brown sugar, and salt to a large bowl and mix on high until very light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until well combined. Mix flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add to the large bowl and mix until just combined. Next, add the chopped almonds and nougat and fold in. Use two spoons (or a cookie scoop) and place dough portions with some space in between on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten the dough portions slightly and press a few chopped almonds into the dough. Bake the cookies for about 11-12 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool down for some time on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool down completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
1. Den Ofen auf 180°C (350°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Ein Backblech mit Backpapier auslegen und zur Seite stellen. Die gebrannten Mandeln grob hacken – etwa 100g für den Teig verwenden und den Rest für die Dekoration. Das schnittfeste Nougat in kleine Würfel schneiden. Alles zur Seite stellen.
2. Die weiche Butter mit dem braunen Zucker und dem Salz in einer großen Schüssel hell und luftig aufschlagen. Das Ei dazugeben und gut unterrühren. Dinkelmehl, Backpulver und Zimt vermischen und dann zur großen Schüssel dazugeben – nur kurz unterrühren. Die Mandeln für den Teig und das Nougat dazugeben und unterheben. Mit zwei Löffeln (oder einem Eisportionierer) Teigportionen mit genügend Abstand zueinander auf das Blech setzen und ganz leicht flach drücken. Jeweils ein paar der gehackten Mandeln in den Teig drücken und dann für etwa 11-12 Minuten backen. Die fertigen Kekse aus dem Ofen holen und auf dem Blech kurz abkühlen lassen, dann auf ein Kuchengitter setzen und komplett auskühlen lassen. Den Prozess mit verbliebenem Teig wiederholen.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Candied Almonds & Chocolate Nougat Cookies
- Prep Time: 00:15
- Cook Time: 00:12
- Total Time: 00:45
- Yield: 10 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Cuisine: Germany
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Delicious cookies that are perfect for the Christmas season – Candied Almonds & Chocolate Nougat Cookies. Easy to prepare and so good!
Ingredients
1/2 cup (120g) butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 large egg
7 oz. (200g) spelt flour*
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
4.2 oz. (120g) roasted (candied) almonds, roughly chopped & divided
1.8 oz. (50g) chocolate nougat for baking*, in small cubes
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. Roughly chop the almonds – use about 100g (3.5 oz.) for the dough and the rest for the decorations. Cut the firm chocolate nougat into small cubes. Set everything aside.
2. Add the butter, brown sugar, and salt to a large bowl and mix on high until very light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until well combined. Mix flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add to the large bowl and mix until just combined. Next, add the chopped almonds and nougat and fold in. Use two spoons (or a cookie scoop) and place dough portions with some space in between on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten the dough portions slightly and press a few chopped almonds into the dough. Bake the cookies for about 11-12 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool down for some time on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool down completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
Notes
It’s time to whip up something delicious!
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I love my job, but in between I love to bake and try new things in the kitchen. A lot of my friends and colleagues encourage me to bake - for a very simple reason: they get the leftovers - and it seems they like it most of the time ;) 
