These orange and almond shortbread biscuits have a delicious light and crumbly texture. Perfect to enjoy as a morning or afternoon treat, they also make fabulous biscuits to serve with creamy desserts.
When I posted my Blood Orange Posset recipe a little while back I promised I would also share my recipe for the pretty heart-shaped biscuits that I served with them. So true to my word, here is my recipe for orange and almond shortbread biscuits. They are simple to make, based on a traditional shortbread biscuit, but I have substituted some of the flour with ground almonds and flavoured the dough with some orange zest. Lemon zest can be used for a delicious variation.
In some shortbread recipes, you rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips, but I have found that by creaming the butter and sugar together first then mixing in the flour and almonds you get a dough that is easier to roll out. Once rolled the biscuits are cut out with a cookie cutter. You can use any shape or size for that matter, which will determine the total number of biscuits you get. As a guide I get 10-12 5cm (2in) biscuits.
In addition to the heart shape cookies I made to go with the posset, I made some pretty flower shape cookies, as well as these ones with a standard fluted cutter. (I couldn’t resist taking this overhead shot to try out my new tripod a pressent from Mr B. ) I think they all look pretty. A light dusting of icing sugar is entirely optional.
Orange and Almond Shortbread
Ingredients
- 100 g butter softened
- 50 g caster sugar
- 1 orange , finely grated zest
- 100 g plain flour (all purpose)
- 50 g ground almonds
- icing sugar, to sprinkle , optional
Instructions
- Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the orange zest.
- Add the flour and ground almonds and mix to a soft dough. Chill for 15 minutes.
- Roll out the dough to about 3mm (1/8th in) thick and cut out the biscuits. Carefully transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Chill for another 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170℃ (160℃ fan)/375°F/gas mark 4.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 12-15 minutes until pale golden. Allow to cool and harden for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with icing sugar if desired.
Nutrition
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- cream butter and sugar together.
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- add flour almond and orange zest. Mix to a dough and chill.
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- Roll out and cut out biscuits.
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- Transfer to a baking sheet and chill before baking.
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- Bake until pale golden and serve. Dust with icing sugar if desired
Cooks Tip’s
- Lightly flour the work surface before rolling but try not to use too much.
- Handle the dough gently when rolling out to prevent the dough from stretching.
- Trimmings can be gently kneaded into a ball for re-rolling again handle gently or the biscuits will become tough.
- Chill the dough if it becomes too soft to roll.
- Chilling the biscuits before baking will help them to keep their shape during baking.
Linda Johnson
Delicious recipe! Can you think of any reason why it wouldn’t work if cooked in a tin and then cut into squares/shapes? Thank you!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
I’ve not tried it but yes I’m sure it would work. I would cut them before the shortbread has cooled as otherwise I think it would break rather than cut into neat squares.
Elizabeth
Ok so I followed all the instructions but my dough was so sticky I couldn’t roll it at all. Floured the worktop and rolling pin still no. So dolloped on tray, attempted to flatten the dollops and put in oven. Baked for half an hour and they came out great. But not at all how I’d imagined!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
The most likely reason it was too sticky was the butter was too warm. Popping it in the fridge to chill a little longer should solve that problem next time.
Andrea
Mmm these were lovely, was looking for a simple receipe for my 11 year old to make with what we already had in, in the cupboard. We made orange flavour icing to top them off.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
So pleased you liked them I bet they tasted extra delicious with the orange icing. What a treat.
Corina Blum
These sound delicious! I think orange and almond is such a lovely combination and the biscuits look absolutely perfectly baked too!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Thank you Corina I do love a good shortbread biscuit 🙂
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain
How utterly delicious Jacqui. I’m a huge fan of shortbread biscuits – their buttery crumbly melt in the mouth qualities is just so good. Love the use of the orange zest and almond in them. Thankyou too for linking up with #BakingCrumbs, it’s always lovely to have you there.
Angela
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Always a pleasure to link up Angela.