Make room on the shelf, vanilla! We're kicking our holiday baking into high gear, and that means almond extract is about to get its time in the spotlight. We love the warm, nutty flavor that a drop of this extract adds to our muffins and cookies. When almond aromas fill the house, we know we've got something good going on.
I love the way almond extract add just a touch of marzipan-like flavor to baked goods. It's not overwhelming or intrusive, but it lingers on the tongue long after the bite is finished. It's not like eating actual almonds, really — it's a similar flavor, but somehow more. Warmer, sweeter, and definitely stronger.
You can substitute almond extract one-for-one with vanilla in most recipes, or use them both. A half-teaspoon of extract is enough to add an almond flavor to most recipes. Try adding it to short bread cookies, breakfast scones, pound cake, and biscotti. A drop of almond extract in a batch of Saturday morning waffles is a beautiful thing.
When buying almond extract, I recommend going for a "pure" version rather than an imitation version. Imitation extract smells the same, but doesn't have quite the same punch, especially once mixed into a batter and baked. This is one of those pantry staples where I think it's worth buying the real thing despite the extra cost.
I've been using this extract (pictured above) from Watkins since the cooler weather and its subsequent baking urge rolled in. It has a really clean almond aroma and flavor that hold up well during baking. Honestly, sometimes I just open the bottle and breath in.
→ Find It! Watkin's Pure Almond Extract
Do you bake with almond extract? Have a favorite recipe to recommend?
A few almond-y recipes to try:
• Almond & Coconut Granola
• Kugelhopf Breakfast Rolls
• Salted Almond Ice Cream
• Vegan Vanilla Almond Sandies
• Crunchy Pecan Waffles
Related: What is the Shelf Life of Flavoring Extracts?
Apartment Therapy Media makes every effort to test and review products fairly and transparently. The views expressed in this review are the personal views of the reviewer and this particular product review was not sponsored or paid for in any way by the manufacturer or an agent working on their behalf. However, the manufacturer did give us the product for testing and review purposes.
(Image: Emma Christensen)
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Blech. I find almond flavoured or scented anything to be offensive. Give me the real things only.
ALMOND, one of heaven's scents. I also add almond to many baked goods. One of my favorite recipes with almond; Cherry Kuchen Bars;
For the Bars
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened (I used unsalted)
1/2 cup shortening (I used Crisco butter flavor shortening)
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 20-oz can cherry pie filling (I used Comstock Lite)
For the Glaze
1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract (I used slightly more, but definitely go easy here)
3-4 TBS milk
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat together butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking powder, and salt and beat until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then add in the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce speed to medium-low and add the flour half a cup at a time until well combined. If your mixing bowl is too small, you can stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon.
Set aside about 1 3/4 cups of the dough and press the rest into the bottom of an ungreased 9×12″ baking pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Spread the cherry pie filling over the crust evenly. Make sure at least a little syrup covers every bit of crust, but don’t worry that there won’t be a whole cherry in every bite. The flavor is most important and we’re not going for a gooey bar. Drop the remaining dough in roughly tablespoon-sized mounds on top of the filling, leaving some gaps between the mounds.
Bake about 30 minutes more until the top is light brown. Cool the bars in the pan set on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. While cooling, mix together the confectioner’s sugar, almond extract, and just enough milk to make a thick (but smooth) drizzling consistency. Pour over the bars. Cool 10 minutes more, then score the top into the size bars you desire with a serrated knife. Don’t cut all the way through. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Carefully cut bars along the scored lines. If necessary, run your knife around the edges of the pan to loosen. I served these right in the pan as shown in the photo, but you can arrange them on a dish if you like. Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Note: You may substitute any flavor pie filling and use vanilla extract in the glaze instead of almond.
island_monkey: but it is the real thing! made from bitter almonds.
I'm crazy about almond flavoring, too. Makes a buttery pound cake heavenly. Here's my favorite Almond Jam Bar recipe made with almond paste, another great almond product to have on hand in the cupboard. It's a keeper.
http://cheaterchef.com/fancy-almond-jam-bars/
I love almond extract. The smallest amount can really make a big difference. I use it in various cookies quite often. I also typically add 1/4 tsp to rice krispies. It really makes them stand out.
I add 1/2 a teaspoon to good old chocolate chip cookies...it's my secret ingredient that somehow makes the cookies even more irresistible!
Almond extract is my go-to whenever a baking recipe seems lacking.
I use almond extract and dried cherries in my morning oatmeal - delicious and a nice change from vanilla.
My mom has always used almond extract in her spritz cookies and they are always heavenly...somehow makes the butter more butter-y tasting!
I love almond extract; I should use it more. I'll definitely try it in chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal so thanks for those suggestions. To me almond extract tastes totally different than whole almonds, but I love them both.
I have come to hate vanilla in baked goods (no, I don't know why, I just do all of a sudden) and I use almond in EVERYTHING! If it has butter in it, it makes it better.