Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes Pastel Butter Cookies Be the first to rate & review! By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 7, 2022 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 20 mins Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Yield: 40 Powdered sugar is naturally tinted with finely ground freeze-dried fruits (we used blueberry, raspberry, and mango) to give these almond shortbread cookies the pastel treatment. Ingredients 1 cup whole blanched almonds 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for pastel sugars 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Freeze-dried fruits in various colors, such as blueberries, raspberries, and mangoes Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until golden and fragrant, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely. Transfer almonds to the bowl of a food processor; add flour, salt, and cinnamon. Process until nuts are finely chopped, about 1 minute. Beat butter with confectioners' sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add vanilla; beat until combined. Slowly add almond mixture; beat on low until just incorporated. Line baking sheets with parchment. Using a 1 1/2-inch (1-tablespoon) cookie scoop, drop dough onto prepared sheets. Bake, rotating halfway through, until edges are just turning golden, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack; let cool completely. For each desired color, place 1/2 cup fruit with 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in food processor; blend until smooth and evenly tinted. (Sugars can be stored in airtight containers up to 1 month.) Sift tinted sugar over cookies as desired. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. Anson Smart Cook's Notes Freeze-dried fruit can be found in the snack section of many grocery stores. Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, April 2018 Rate It PRINT