Love and Olive Oil

Almond Lovers Chocolate Chip Cookies

Marzipan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Imagine, for a moment, your favorite chocolate chip cookie. One that’s slightly crisp on the edges, but soft and chewy on the inside, with a rich aroma of brown sugar and smooth bittersweet chocolate pockets that melt in your mouth.

Got it?

Now imagine that cookie laced with marzipan.

Ok, now that you’ve picked yourself off of the kitchen floor, let me tell you more about these cookies.

Because they might just be the best cookies I’ve ever made.

Those of you out there who don’t like almond, be it almond extract, paste, or marzipan, you may as well close your browser window right now. I’ll be back in a few days with another post. Because the secret to these cookies is the almond paste, and no, you cannot substitute it with something else or leave it out altogether. Pass GO and forget your $200. Don’t even bother.

Ok, now that only the marzipan groupies remain… I have to tell you I could put almond paste in just about anything and be happy (I’m sure you understand). I’ve already done just that with cupcakes, cake cream filling, and buttercream frosting. Which is why I’m so surprised I hadn’t thought to do the same with cookies.

Almond Lovers Chocolate Chip Cookies

Let’s talk for a minute about almond paste. Which is completely different from marzipan and almond pie filling. Marzipan is less sticky and more workable, and better suited to molding little almond fruits and such. Almond paste (in the US at least) typically contains about twice as much almond to other ingredients, giving it a much stronger and more defined almond flavor. Almond paste is the base for marzipan, which you can make yourself simply by mixing confectioners’ sugar and corn syrup with almond paste. I personally like the Solo brand canned almond paste. The stuff in the tube is never as soft, not to mention more expensive. Go ahead and substitute marzipan if you can’t find paste, but your cookies are going to have a much more subtle almond flavor.

Mmm… almond…

Oh dear. Writing this post has given me severe almond cravings. Alas, since these cookies are long gone… my only solution is to simply eat the leftover paste straight from the can, which I am doing as we speak. Don’t judge.

Almond Lovers Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies. Recipe adapted from Picky Palate.

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Ingredients:

2 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup (about 4 oz) almond paste (not marzipan)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 oz bag good quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)
1/2 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

In a stand or electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Break up the almond paste and add to the mixture, beating until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with the chocolate chips. Mix until just combined. Scoop onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet with a medium cookie scoop. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just golden crisp on the outside. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

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20 Comments

  1. I first made these cookies a few years ago but never commented. I LOVE these cookies, and everyone I’ve ever made them for has loved them too. So good!

  2. Oh wow! I just did this with leftover marzipan and decided to searvh Google to see if anyone else had tried it. So good! I didn’t add as much as you did, couldn’t really taste the almond but it definitely adds a je ne sais quoi.

    Although I don’t agree that there’s no substitute for almond! I’d bet chestnut paste would be delicious. And if there is such a thing as hazelnut paste, yum.

  3. I’d started adding almond extract to my chocolate chip cookies years ago — using half vanilla and half almond — but I wanted more almond flavor. This completely hits the spot. Great recipe, excellent cookie!

  4. My cookies came out cakey–not what i wanted to achieve. i followed the recipe; the only thing i adjusted was the amount of white sugar.

  5. These are THE BEST chocolate chip cookies I have ever made. They are perfectly soft the next day with a slightly chewy texture. They look just like cookies from a box and my cookies never come out looking this good! Thank you!!!!

  6. Crazy good…3rd time to make them!!!!!!!!

  7. I read that cornstarch makes the cookies chewy. Is that true and can I add it to this recipe? If so how much would I add?

  8. The toasted almonds I assume just get mixed in when the chocolate chips do?

  9. I would like to try your chocolate chip cookies with Almond Paste. I had a cookie like this at a golf outing and they were delicious. Can you tell me if you can use Almond filling instead of Almond past??? Thanks

  10. This is the chocolate chip cookie recipe I have been looking for! I love baking, and I’ve always been secretly ashamed that I’ve never made a truly good chocolate chip cookie. Other recipes I’ve tried always had the wrong texture or taste. But this one came out perfectly–crisp around the edges, chewy in the middle, and oh so delicious with the taste of the almond paste! I now have my go-to cookie recipe… thanks so much!

  11. Thanks for this recipe! I made them on Saturday and they turned out beautifully! The consistency is perfect–just a bit chewy, just a bit crunchy around the edge–and the flavor divine. I shared them and got lots of compliments. I did find I had to bake them slightly longer–15 minutes got a nice golden color to the tops and edges and left the insides chewy.

  12. That is just sn insanely good idea as I love almonds (and ofcourse marzipan ). Hmm, can’t wait to try this!

  13. Yum! I love marzipan and chocolate chip cookies… How did you know?!

  14. These cookies,my god the recipe had my mouth watering. However what i really liked was the picture. For once a cookie pic that looks like the ones i make. i always thought mine were turning out wrong somehow but now i’m at ease.

  15. Almond paste in cookies! It’s genius! I definitely need to try this. I loooooove almond!

  16. i can only imagine how good they taste!

  17. These sound incredible! Can’t wait to try the recipe. Thank you!

  18. I am a marzipan groupie! I tend to eat almond paste straight from the container too. Great looking cookies!

  19. Almond in anything, yum. Like mother like daughter.
    Will have to add a workout at the gym and come home and bake these!

  20. I’m all about all things almond right now and these sound divine!!

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