Tortas De Aceite
Submitted by tiffnty
Crispy Spanish olive oil cookies spiced with anise, cinnamon, and sesame seeds, finished with sliced almonds. Egg-free, dairy-free, and fragrant with lemon and white wine.
YIELD
1 batchPREP
20 minCOOK
35 minREADY
1 hrsThese rustic Spanish cookies are built on olive oil instead of butter, which gives them a crackly, crisp texture and a savory depth that butter simply can’t match.
Anise seeds, sesame, cinnamon, lemon zest, and a splash of dry white wine turn a simple dough into something that smells like a bakery in Seville.
No eggs, no dairy. Just flour, oil, sugar, and those gorgeous aromatics working together.
Sliced almonds get pressed into the tops before baking, and they toast up golden and nutty in the oven. One batch makes about 15 cookies, though you’ll want to double it.
Kitchen Tips
- Heat the olive oil with the lemon peel and seeds to bloom their flavor, then let it cool completely before mixing into the dough.
- Rest the dough at least 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes shaping much easier.
- Pat the cookies to an even thickness so they bake uniformly. Thinner edges will brown faster than thick centers.
- Press the almond slices firmly into the dough so they don’t pop off during baking.
Variations
- Swap anise seeds for fennel seeds for a milder, slightly sweeter licorice note.
- Drizzle cooled cookies with a thin lemon glaze for extra citrus punch.
- Add a pinch of smoked paprika to the dough for a subtle, unexpected warmth.
Ingredients
Directions
In a small saucepan or skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the strip of lemon peel and the anise and sesame seeds, and then set the oil aside to cool to room temperature.
Discard the lemon peel and pour the oil and seeds into a large mixing bowl.
Stir in the wine, grated lemon peel and orange peel, and the sugar, and mix until the sugar dissolves.
Sift the flour and cinnamon into the mixture, ½ cup or so at a time, stirring well after each addition.
When the dough becomes too stiff to stir easily with a spoon, knead in the remaining flour with your hands.
Gather the dough into a ball and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Divide the dough into about 15 equal pieces.
Pat and shape each piece into a flat cookie about 3 inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick.
Arrange the cookies about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
Press 6 to 8 almond slices gently but firmly into the top of each cookie and bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are golden brown at the edges and firm to the touch.
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