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Almond Toffee Cookies

Ingredients

Toffee

  • ½ c granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 ½ tbsp unsalted butter
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ c chopped toasted almonds

Cookies

  • ½ c softened butter
  • ½ c granulated sugar
  • ½ c dark brown sugar
  • 1 med-large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 ¼ c all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon

Instructions

Make Toffee

  • I can’t give you any specific times on these steps, it is going to depend on the size of your sauce pan and heat level of your stove.
  • In a mid-size sauce pan, melt sugar over low heat. As sugar melts, stir or swirl pan lightly just enough to redistribute unincorporated crystals. Don’t use a rubber spatula, this is one of those times were it will melt. Use a silicon spatula or metal spoon. Remember that melting sugar gets hot!
  • Once sugar is melted and has turned a dark golden colour, add cream, stirring well. The caramel will bubble up at this point, but don’t be alarmed, this will help with flavor development.
  • When combined and bubbling has reduced, add butter, stir until combined. Continue cooking on low heat, stirring occasionally until caramel reaches early soft crack stage (270-280F).
  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Once combined, allow bubbles to settle without stirring further.
  • Add almonds, distributing evenly. Pour on to a baking sheet lined with a silicon mat or one that is buttered. Press down to about ¼” thick. Odd shaped edges do not matter, you are just going to break this up into pieces later. Set aside to cool.

Make Cookies

  • Combine softened butter and sugars with a handheld or stand mixer on medium-high until fully incorporated and starting to fluff.
  • Add egg and vanilla. Beat on high until pale and very fluffy (about 1-2 minutes).
  • Add all dry ingredients. Mix on low until thoroughly combined.
  • Once toffee is room temperature is room temperature and solid, set in freezer for 5-7 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Remove toffee from freezer and cut into ~1/2” squares using a large sharp knife. (Don’t be foolish like me when I first started using a silicon baking mat – put the toffee on a cutting board first so you don’t ruin your mat.)
  • Add all toffee pieces to cookie dough and fold in. Set in fridge for 5 minutes until oven has finished pre-heating. (Just because you don’t have to chill it for an hour doesn’t mean a little chill doesn’t help the texture.)
  • Hand form dough into balls of about 1 heaping tablespoon. Place on baking sheets lined with silicon mats or parchment paper. Cookies will spread 2-3” in diameter.
  • Bake for 13-15 minutes until cookies are barely golden on the edges. If you bake multiple sheets at a time, place the oven racks close together in the center of the oven and rotate sheet positions at about 8 minutes in.
  • Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool at least 3 minutes before removing from sheets.
  • Repeat baking with rest of dough. Cookies can be eaten immediately, in which case they are very chewy and soft, or allowed to cool and stored in an airtight container (unless you are a very odd person, they will be eaten before you can even think of them going bad). The cookies get crunchier when allowed to cool, but are not especially crisp. Can also be frozen for later consumption.