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This recipe for Florentines yields delicately lacy, crisp cookies with a nutty caramel flavor and a hint of vanilla. A little dark chocolate is the perfect finishing touch. And if you've tried to make these cookies and had problems, I am going to show you exactly how to fix them!
The first time I had these cookies was last Christmas when my husband ordered them from an online bakery after one of his friends said we had to try them.
They might not look like anything spectacular, but I’m telling you, these cookies are addictive!
They have a nutty, caramel flavor and when you add a drizzle of chocolate (or sandwich two of them together with chocolate), they will have you coming back for more. Of course, this may or may not be a good thing, lol.
Anyway, after having Florentine cookies for the first time, I was on a mission to find the perfect recipe and make them myself!
In This Article
Florentine Cookies Recipe
Compared to many cookies, this Florentines recipe is a bit more time-consuming to make. However, these cookies are definitely worth the work.
They’re gorgeous. Delicate, thin, and crispy, with a nutty, caramel/butterscotch flavor. And dark chocolate really makes the perfect addition!
Ingredients in This Florentines Recipe
- Sliced blanched almonds
- Pecans (or use more almonds)
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Heavy whipping cream
- Light corn syrup
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Water (as necessary)
- Dark chocolate, for sandwiching the cookies together or drizzling on top
How to Make Florentines
- Add the almonds and pecans (or whatever nuts you're using) to a food processor.
- Pulse until finely chopped, but not pasty.
- Stir together the finely chopped nuts, flour, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside for now.
- Add the sugar, cream, corn syrup, and butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Once it comes to a rolling boil, let it boil for 1 minute.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the liquid sugar mixture into the dry almond mixture.
- Stir just to combine. Set aside until the batter is cool enough to handle. (At this point, I needed to add boiling water so the batter took on a “Cream of Wheat consistency”. The amount of water needed will vary, so you have to use a bit of finesse; see the photos below for guidance.)
- Use a ½-teaspoon scoop to measure out the batter.
- Roll each into a ball and flatten it slightly. Arrange the flattened batter balls on the prepared baking sheets. (I bake 15 cookies on each half sheet pan.)
- Bake the cookies 1 tray at a time until they’re thin and golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the tray after 5 minutes. Once the cookies are out of the oven, let them cool completely before using a thin metal spatula to remove them.
For the perfect finishing touch, sandwich two Florentines together with a thin smear of melted dark chocolate. Or you can just drizzle a little dark chocolate on top!
How to Fix Florentines
I originally found the recipe I used on the Food Network. And at first the only adaptation I made was to omit the orange zest.
Although the resulting Florentine cookies were melt-in-your-mouth amazing and lovely to look at as well, I had a major mishap while making these!
I made the batter and let it sit to cool as instructed. Then when it was cool enough to handle, I went to scoop it and it was hard and crumbly! I scooped the batter into little crumbly balls and baked the first tray like that, thinking that perhaps it was how the batter was supposed to be.
It turns out I couldn’t have been more wrong. The cookies held their “ball” shape and didn’t flatten out or turn caramel colored.
In an attempt to save the cookies I added water to the batter. I actually ended up adding quite a bit of water, so that in the end the batter had a consistency like Cream of Wheat. I re-scooped the batter and baked the cookies, and (very surprisingly!) they came out perfect.
If this happens to you, this is how to fix the batter for Florentine cookies:
- By the time the Florentine batter is cool enough to handle, you might notice that it is dry and crumbly like this. It's impossible to scoop, and even if you are able to scoop it, it doesn't bake properly!
- There's an easy fix; simply add boiling water. The amount you need will vary, but I find that usually ¼ to ⅓ cup of boiling water is perfect.
- Stir the boiling water into the batter a little at a time.
- And mix it well. The batter should have the consistency of some type of porridge, similar to Cream of Wheat. Now it's ready to scoop and bake as directed in the recipe.
How to Store Florentine Cookies
Arrange Florentine biscuits in single layers separated with pieces of wax or parchment paper in an airtight container. And then you can store them at room temperature, in the fridge, or in the freezer.
- At room temperature. Store these cookies for up to 3 days at room temperature.
- In the fridge. These cookies will stay fresh for about 3 weeks in the fridge.
- Stash them in the freezer. You can freeze Florentine lace cookies for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
Variations on This Florentines Recipe
- If you like the orange/chocolate flavor combination. Add up to 2 tablespoons of freshly-grated orange zest.
- Play with the nuts. Instead of using all almonds, I like to use a mix of nuts. Almonds + walnuts are good, but almonds + pecans are my favorite combination. I also want to try these cookies with almonds + hazelnuts.
- The chocolate.I find that sandwiching two Florentine cookies together with the thinnest smear of dark chocolate is perfect for me. (I love the bitterness from the chocolate to balance out the sweet cookies.) However, feel free to play with it to find what you like! You can simply drizzle a little chocolate on top if you prefer. And you don't have to use dark chocolate - use your favorite!
Florentines Recipe FAQs
What Are Florentines?
Florentine cookies, also called Florentine biscuits, Florentine lace cookies, and just simply Florentines, are a confection made of sugar, butter, cream, and nuts. They also occasionally contain dried fruit. And frequently, they are either drizzled with chocolate or sandwiched together with chocolate.
Why Are They Called Florentines?
The name of these cookies makes you think they're from Florence, Italy, right?
As a lover of history and culture, and the connection between culture and cuisine, I've done a bit of research but I haven't been able to find a definitive answer as to why Florentine cookies are named as such.
There's a debate as to whether these cookies are Italian or French. I've heard it said that Catherine de'Medichi who became queen consort of France in 1547 when she married King Henry II, brought her own chefs to France when she moved there. And in doing so, brought a number of Italian dishes as well.
If you know more about the origin of and history behind Florentine cookies, please let me know!
What do Florentine Cookies Taste Like?
These delicate cookies have a buttery, nutty, caramel flavor. They're most crisp on the same day they're made; after that, they soften a bit and become slightly chewy.
More Festive Cookie Recipes to Make
- Eggnog Cookies
- Russian Tea Cakes
- Gingersnaps
Florentines Recipe
By: Faith Gorsky
This recipe for Florentines yields delicately lacy, crisp cookies with a nutty caramel flavor and a hint of vanilla. A little dark chocolate is the perfect finishing touch. And if you've tried to make these cookies and had problems, I am going to show you exactly how to fix them!
5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Time for the Cookies to Cool 30 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 65 servings
Calories 49 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups blanched slivered almonds
- ½ cup pecans or use more sliced blanched almonds
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Water as necessary to “save” the batter
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate or any type of chocolate you like
Instructions
Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 large baking trays with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
Add the almonds and pecans to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, but not pasty.
Stir together the finely chopped nuts, flour, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside for now.
Add the sugar, cream, corn syrup, and butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Once it comes to a rolling boil, let it boil for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Pour the liquid sugar mixture into the dry almond mixture and stir just to combine.
Set aside until the batter is cool enough to handle. (At this point, I needed to add boiling water so the batter took on a “Cream of Wheat consistency”. The amount of water needed will vary, so you have to use a bit of finesse; see the photos in the post above for guidance.)
Use a ½-teaspoon scoop to measure out the batter. Roll each into a ball and flatten it slightly. Arrange the flattened batter balls on the prepared baking sheets. (I bake 15 cookies on each half sheet pan.)
Bake the cookies 1 tray at a time until they’re thin and golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the tray after 5 minutes.
Once the cookies are out of the oven, let them cool completely before using a thin metal spatula to remove them.
Continue cooking the batter this way until all the cookies are baked.
When the cookies are cooled, melt the chocolate.
Sandwich 2 cookies together with a thin smear of chocolate in the center. Don’t use too much chocolate or it will ooze out of the holes in the cookies.
Let the chocolate set before serving or storing these cookies.
Faith's Tips
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 65 sandwich cookies. Each cookie is about 2 to 2 ½-inches in diameter. Nutrition information is given for each cookie sandwich.
- Recipe Inspiration: Recipe adapted from the Food Network's recipe for Florentines.
How to Store Florentine Cookies
Arrange Florentine cookies in single layers separated with pieces of wax or parchment paper in an airtight container. And then you can store them at room temperature, in the fridge, or in the freezer.
- At room temperature. Store these cookies for up to 3 days at room temperature.
- In the fridge. These cookies will stay fresh for about 3 weeks in the fridge.
- Stash them in the freezer. You can freeze Florentine cookies for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Florentines Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 49Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 3mg1%
Sodium 10mg0%
Potassium 28mg1%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 35IU1%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword Florentine Biscuits, Florentine Cookies, Florentine Lace Cookies, Florentines, Florentines Recipe, Lace Cookies
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on December 10, 2009. I updated it with more information on November 28, 2021.
