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We’re in minus degrees here in my part of the USA. The freezing temperatures are what inspired these cute polar bear claw cookies.
The cookie itself is a vanilla almond flavor. You can easily switch up the extracts with lemon, orange or rum or your favorite flavor combination.
The dough is extremely easy to throw together. Once the cookies leave the oven, almond slivers are pushed into the tips to create the “claws”. The whole cookie is then covered with a simple white sugar glaze.
Make sure you check the cookies at the halfway mark to make sure they are not browning too much at the edges. If the edges become too crisp, pushing the almond slivers into the cookie will crumble the front edges and ruin the shape. Also, make sure you do this while the cookies are slightly warm to make it easier.
Like many German recipes, these cookies are not too sweet. The recipe contains only a half cup of sugar. So if you are on food and dessert overload from the holidays, skip the glaze entirely for a low sugar snack.
Vanilla Almond Polar Bear Claw Cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings 1 Dozen
Ingredients
- 1+1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1+1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
- blanched almond slivers
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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Grease and flour a Madeleine pan.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
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Using the whisk attachment of your mixer, whip together the butter and sugar. until creamy, about 3 minutes.
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Beat in the egg, then the vanilla and almond extracts.
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Slowly add the dry ingredients.
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Gently press the dough into the madeleine wells, making sure you fill the front edges.
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Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes.
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Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to a baking rack placed over a parchment lined baking sheet.
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When the cookies are slightly warm, push the almond slivers into the front of the cookies for claws. TIP: If the cookie edges are too hard and the almond sliver keeps breaking, use a toothpick to make a hole and then push the almond sliver in.
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Let the cookies cool completely.
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Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk. Pour the glaze over the cookies and let dry. Plate and serve.
Try these other almond cookies:
