When I was a kid, my favorite recipe to make at Christmas were Swedish spritz cookies. I used to get up at dawn and pinch a few of them from the cookie jar to nibble in bed before anyone else was up. In those days I was using refined sugar and flour, but I think originally these cookies were made with blanched almond flour and honey. Made this way they taste like toffee or almond roca while at the same time being healthier!

• 1/2 c honey
• 3/4 c butter (softened)
• 1 egg
• 1 t almond essence (optional)
• 3 1/2 c almond flour (used blanched almonds)
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t baking soda

Method:
Beat together butter and honey, add beaten egg and almond essence (I like to substitute cardamom for the almond essence sometimes) and beat well. Add the almond flour (to blanch almonds just pour boiling water over your almonds, let sit a couple minutes, then rub the skins off with your hands and discard). I use a coffee grinder to process my almonds into flour which works very well. Add in the salt and baking soda and mix. Chill for about 20 minutes. Use a cookie press on a greased baking sheet or just spoon the mixture out about a couple inch apart from each other. Bake for about 15 minutes in a 250 degree F oven.