Hello!! I am beyond excited to be sharing a little sneak peek into my friend Amy’s COOKBOOK today!! You might remember Amy (from Constellation Inspiration) from past adventures, and we’ve teamed up to create some dreamy cake spreads throughout the years (scroll to the bottom of the post to see more!). Amy was my very first internet turned real life friend, and I am forever grateful that she invited me for a SLEEPOVER/CAKE BAKING party as our first get together!!

It’s been such an honour to see Amy grow in her baking journey throughout the years, and I knew that a cookbook had to be in her future. Almost 2 years ago we went out for coffee and pastries, and she excitedly (and nervously) told me about a publishing company that had offered her a deal. We talked through her fears, weighed pros and cons, and discussed her vision for the project. Over the following months we had many conversations about how the process was going, how she was dealing with the stress of fleeting floral seasons!!, and the struggle of getting the PERFECT shot for each recipe that showcased it to the fullest. I am unbelievably proud of all of Amy’s hard work, and I do hope you’ll add her cookbook to your collection!

Amy is one of the most creative people I know, and has such a knack for unique flavours and the most beautiful styling. Her book Blooms and Baking is the most perfect summary of these things. She teaches you how to incorporate flowers into both the baking and the styling of gorgeous desserts, from cookies, cakes, cream puffs, and more. There are TONS of step by step photos, and lots of tips and tricks peppered throughout each chapter. I’ve already made so many recipes from it, and am lucky enough to have permission to share her recipe from Blooms and Baking for floral almond wreath cookies with you today!

These almond wreath cookies come together in minutes, have a bit of chilling time, and then are baked off. I made mine in the evening, and then prepared some candied edible flowers (I foraged some cherry blossoms, apple blossoms, and pansies for them!), and let the candied petals set overnight. The next morning I dipped the cookies into their glaze, and added the petals. My favourite technique I figured out was that you can crush candied petals and use them like sprinkles! So so fun.

floral almond wreath cookies

recipe from: Amy Ho, Blooms and Baking cookbook - Page Street Publishing- used with permission

yields: 18 to 20 cookies

almond cookie wreaths

1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup (90 g) plus 2 tbsp (12 g) all purpose flour

1/4 cup (25 g) almond flour

1/2 tsp salt

fresh, dried, or candied edible flowers

royal icing glaze
1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar

2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 mL) whole milk

1/2 tsp rose water

directions

Make the almond cookie wreaths. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on low speed until it is smooth, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until the sugar is fully incorporated and the mixture is creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt. Mix on low speed for 45 seconds, just until the mixture is uniform in texture.

Gather the dough into a ball, shape it into a disk, and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes. Once the dough has chilled, transfer it to a piece of parchment paper, cover it with a second piece of parchment paper, and flatten it with a rolling pin to form a rectangle about 1⁄4 inch (6 mm) thick.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a large and a medium round cookie cutter, stamp out wreaths from the dough. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. If at this point the cookie dough has softened, place the baking sheet in the fridge or freezer to allow the cutouts to firm up. This will allow the cookies to retain their shape. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they are golden around the edges. Let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.

Make the royal icing glaze. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and rose water. (Add more or less milk to reach the desired consistency.) Dip one side of the cookie wreaths in the glaze and place the cookies on a wire rack to decorate. Immediately place the edible flowers on the cookies before the glaze sets. Allow the glaze to dry completely.

a few edible flowers: pansies, apple blossoms, cherry blossoms, lavender, lilacs, citrus blossom, clover, borage, chamomile, daisies, dandelions, hibiscus, honeysuckle, mums, marigold, mint, nasturtium, roses, and violets.

**always ensure that you are able to properly identify flowers before eating - or source edible flowers from your florist!*