Perfect for holidays, these Florentine cookies are made with almonds, honey, and a touch of vanilla. Their crispy texture and nutty, caramel-like flavor make them an unforgettable treat.
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Ingredients you will need
Butter: Use unsalted butter for this recipe. No need to bring it to room temperature, as it will be melted in the saucepan.
White and brown sugar: A mix of white and brown sugar adds depth of flavor, but you can use 100g of white granulated sugar if you prefer.
Honey: Enhances the flavor and increases the sugar content, making the cookies extra crispy.
Heavy cream: Heavy whipping cream is essential for achieving the smooth texture of the caramel base in this Florentine cookie recipe.
Ground almonds: The star ingredient that gives these cookies their signature nuttiness. Pulse whole almonds in a food processor until finely ground, with some coarse bits for texture.
Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and complements the nuttiness of the cookies. Alternatively, you can replace it with ½ teaspoon of almond extract for a different flavor profile.
Bread flour: A small amount helps bind the ingredients while maintaining the cookies’ crisp texture.
Cooking tips
Use a food processor: For ground almonds, pulse whole almonds in a food processor to achieve a mix of fine and coarse pieces, giving the cookies a perfect texture.
Allow the cookie dough to cool: Let the cookie batter cool down for 10–15 minutes before scooping it onto the baking sheet. This helps it firm up, making it easier to work with.
Leave space between dough balls: The cookies will spread a lot during baking, so ensure plenty of space between each portion.
Watch the bake time: These cookies can burn quickly. Keep an eye on them during the final minutes of baking to ensure they don’t overcook.
How to make Florentine cookies
Preheat and prepare: Start by preheating your oven to 350F (175C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats, as you’ll need to bake the cookies in batches.
Make the caramel base: In a saucepan, melt the butter, white and brown sugar, honey, and heavy cream over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the mixture is fully melted and begins to boil. Remove it from the heat.
Add flavor and texture: Stir in the vanilla extract and salt, then mix in the bread flour and ground almonds. The batter will be quite runny initially. Let it rest for 10–15 minutes to cool and thicken slightly.
Scoop and bake: Using a teaspoon, scoop small portions (about 2 teaspoons each) onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between them as the cookies spread during baking. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through for even baking.
Shape and cool: Once baked, the cookies should be golden brown and no longer bubbling. If you want perfectly round cookies, use a large round cutter to shape them while they’re still hot. Let them cool for 10 minutes on the parchment before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Are you looking for more easy cookie recipes? Then, you may like these Cookie sticks, these delicious Almond Cookies, or these chewy Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies.
Possible variation
Brush melted chocolate on the back of the cookies: Once the cookies are cooled, brush melted and tempered chocolate onto the back of each cookie or just place the chocolate into a piping bag and drizzle it over each cookie.
Make these Florentines with ground hazelnuts: You can swap ground almonds with ground hazelnuts.
Add dried fruits and berries: Mix in finely chopped dried fruits like cranberries, cherries, or apricots to create a chewy twist on these crispy cookies.
Storing tips
Florentine cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. To maintain their crispness, separate layers with parchment paper. If dipped or brushed with chocolate, ensure the chocolate has completely set before storing.
Recipe card
Florentine cookies
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale
- Food processor
- Saucepan
- Rubber spatula
- Mixing bowl
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 70 g unsalted butter can be cold
- 50 g white granulated sugar
- 50 g light brown sugar
- 30 g honey
- 30 g heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 20 g bread flour
- 140 g ground almonds pulse whole almonds in a food processor until finely ground, leaving some larger bits for texture
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. You will need to bake in batches, so make sure you have enough parchment paper or several silicone mats.
- In a saucepan, add the butter, white and brown sugar, honey, and heavy cream. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted. Wait until the mixture comes to a boil, then remove from heat.
- Add the vanilla extract and salt, and mix well.
- Add the flour and ground almonds, and mix thoroughly. The batter will be very runny. Transfer it into a clean bowl and allow it to rest for 10–15 minutes. This will help it cool down and become firmer, making it easier to work with.
- Scoop 8 dough balls (2 teaspoons each) onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure they have enough space to spread, as they will spread a lot during baking.
- Bake for 10 minutes (rotate the baking sheet halfway through if your oven has hot spots) or until the cookies have spread, stopped bubbling, and turned golden brown.
- Remove the cookies from the oven. If you want a perfect round shape, use a large round cookie cutter to pull the edges of the cookies gently back toward the center.
- Slide the parchment paper from the baking sheet onto a countertop and allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes.
- Peel the cookies off the paper and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before serving.
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