Chinese Restaurant Almond Cookies

• FOR THE COOKIES:
• 3/4 cups Butter, Softened
• 1/4 cups Shortening, Softened
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/3 cups Almond Paste, Grated
• 1 teaspoon Orange Zest (optional)
• 2 teaspoons (generous) Almond Extract
• 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1 Egg
• 3 cups Flour
• 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 3/4 teaspoons Salt
• FOR THE FINISH:
• 1 Egg White, Beaten With The Below Amount Of Water
• 1 teaspoon Water
• Extra Sugar And Slivered Almonds Or Whole Almonds, For Garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. With an electric mixer, cream butter, shortening, sugar and grated almond paste together in a large bowl. Add orange zest (if using), almond extract, vanilla and the egg, and blend well. Set aside.
3. In a separate smaller bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt, then gently stir it into the rest of the batter.
4. Scoop dough by rounded spoonfuls onto parchment paper or Silpat covered baking sheets.
5. Combine water and egg white in a small bowl. Brush tops of the cookies with a little of the egg white/water mixture. Sprinkle with some extra sugar, then flatten gently using the bottom of a drinking glass or your fingers. Press a few slivered almonds, or a whole almond, into the center of each cookie.
6. Bake for 10-11 minutes, or just until edges begin to turn light golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
7. Makes about 24-30 cookies.
8. Note: Adapted from a recipe on Allrecipes.com.

butter, ubc, sugar, almond paste, orange zest, vanilla, egg, flour, baking soda, salt, finish, egg, water, extra sugar

Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/chinese-restaurant-almond-cookies/ (may not work)