Best Almond Polenta Crumb Cookies Recipes

Italian Almond-Iced Cookies image

Provided by Food Network

Categories dessert

Time 25m

Number Of Ingredients 14

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
Icing, recipe follows
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon egg white
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
2 colors food coloring, of your choice

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter 2 baking pans. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt together. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), mix the eggs and sugar until pale yellow and fluffy. With the mixer running, drizzle in the oil, vanilla, almond extract and mix. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your hands, form into logs 1-inch in diameter. Working in batches if necessary, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices and arrange the cookies on the sheet pans. Bake until light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.
Icing: In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, egg white, confectioners' sugar and almond extract until smooth. Divide the icing into one large and two smaller batches. Leave the large batch of icing white; color the other 2 to your liking.
When the cookies are cool, dip the tops into the white icing. Use a fork or a squeeze bottle to drizzle the cookies with the other colors. Let set in a cool place 1 hour.

Polenta Cookies image

Provided by Food Network

Categories dessert

Time 2h5m

Yield 2 1/2 dozen

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 1/2 cups polenta, stone-ground grits or coarse cornmeal, plus additional as needed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps:

In a bowl, mix together the polenta, flour, baking powder and salt.
In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and yolk one by one, then add the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix until a firm dough forms.
Divide the dough in half, place each piece onto a piece of parchment or wax paper, and shape the dough into a rough log about 2 inches in diameter, dusting with cornmeal as needed to prevent sticking. Roll up in the paper, twisting the ends to seal, and roll back and forth a few times to smooth out the shape. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. (At this point, the dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. With a sharp knife, cut the cookies into 1/2-inch slices, and place on the prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating halfway through, until cookies are just golden, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
Polenta cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.