Quick to prepare, these cookies are a combination of almond flour, butter, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, and blood orange zest. Sweetened with a bit of blood orange marmalade filling, you’d never know our crunchy picnic cookies are gluten free. If you can’t find blood oranges, just substitute tangerine or orange for the zest and marmalade. Make your dessert the complete Italian indulgence – serve with a Hard Italian Soda by Bravazzi!

INGREDIENTS
Cookies
2 cups almond flour, quality brands such as Bob’s or King Arthur
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
6 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon blood orange zest
2 tablespoons plus two teaspoons Blood Orange Marmalade

Icing
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon almond extract

INSTRUCTIONS
To Make the Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl until dough forms.

Scoop 1 ½ ” balls of dough onto a parchment lined the pan. Using your thumb or a spoon, press an indentation into the center of each ball of dough. Scoop and press all the dough then place in the refrigerator to chill for one hour. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange the balls of dough about 1 ½ ” to 2″ apart. Fill each impression with about ¼ teaspoon of marmalade. Be careful, don’t overfill or your filling could boil out during baking.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until they start to turn light golden brown on top. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool them on the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer them to a rack to cool completely before icing. Makes about 20-24 cookies.

To Make the Icing
In a small bowl, stir together confectioner’s sugar and milk until smooth. Add in corn syrup and almond extract, beating until icing is smooth and glossy. If frosting is too thick, add a little more milk. Drizzle over the cooled cookies.

We adapted this recipe from the fabulous bakers at King Arthur Flour.