Apricot and Almond Cookies

Sorry it has taken me to long to get this blog up, I made these cookies almost a week ago, what a slacker!

Well the recipe is basically the same as the Apple and Oatmeal cookies, just minus the rolled oats and apples and adding in the apricots and ground almonds.

The decision to whip these up on the Sunday evening, instead of making the Jasmine cupcakes as I originally said I was going to make, was because the other cookies went down so well and I had gotten the baking bug for them. Also wanted Hubby to have another flavour to take with him in his work lunch.

Mixed up both types of sugar together with the butter until wonderfully fluffy. Then the egg and vanilla essence is mixed in. Add in the dry ingredients, and the most important main flavours and there we have it. I used soft dried apricots and just cut them up into rough pieces. Thought they would give it a bit more of a chew than the usual dried fruit.

Took me a long time again to get the dough rolled and flattened equally on the lined baking tray. I think my obsessiveness of making sure they are all perfect in size is a slight hindrance. Kept taking bits out of some that looked too big and adding them into a 'smaller' sized ones. Finally they seemed roughly the same size so into the oven they went for the full 20 minutes. On one tray they must have been a bit to closely spaced and did start to spread towards one another but luckily it didn't become one giant cookie, much to my husband disappointment. He recommended I do this the next time I make them, just one or two huge cookies. Guess it will save me time in trying to get the measurements of each cookie just right.

The cooking time meant they came out lovely and crispy on the outside edge and soft and chewy in the middle, just how we like them. They smelt wonderful. I had even roasted the flaked almond in a saucepan before adding them onto the top of the cookies prior to baking. Let the cool down on the top of the oven before stacking them up for a photo and then me and hubby split one to try out. They were yummy, not as strong a flavour as the Apple and Oatmeal variety but I think I actually prefer these ones. Either way both recipes were delicious and baking cookies have sped up to the top of my list over a weekend.