Spiderweb Almond Cookies

This Halloween, I'm putting together a table full of sweets. These spiderweb almond cookies are a mix of buttery shortbread and tender sugar cookie. And I love anything with almond flavor {I used the almond flour I picked up at G.Detou for French macarons}. Finish them with royal icing and a swirling spiderweb pattern, and they're the perfect ghoulish glam treat.

Almond Cookie Recipe

{adapted from Better Homes & Gardens}

3/4 cup almond flour

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2 sticks butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate, melted

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat until fully combined. Add flours and salt in two additions. Mix on low until incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill in refrigerator for 1/2 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (170 degrees C). On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/4" thickness. Cut with cookie cutter. Place 1" apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 9 minutes until light brown on edges. Cool on cookie sheet.

For the royal icing, mix powdered sugar and water until thick, about the consistency of toothpaste. Using a small tip, pipe the cookie border in white. Then, thin the icing, and "flood" the interior of the cookie using a toothpick, one at a time. Before it dries, using a small tip, pipe a swirl pattern with the melted chocolate starting at the center of the cookie. Using a toothpick, drag the point from the center to each of the outside corners of the spiderweb. Makes 20.