Almond and Sugar Cookie Bars

Almond and Sugar Cookie Bars
In Dutch, jan hagel refers to an unruly mob. Some people have interpreted that as a take on the cookie’s jumbled garnishes of sliced (flaked) almonds and crushed pearl sugar. Others have taken it to mean a term for the type of people who’d enjoy such a simple cookie since the term has also been documented as a slang term for sailors, common people, and others on the fringes of society. However the name came about, it is an appealing cookie.

These Almond and Sugar Cookie Bars (Jan Hagel Koekjes) are a traditional Dutch treat known for their buttery, crumbly texture and sweet almond flavour. Whether enjoyed with a cup of coffee or as an afternoon snack, these bars are a delightful taste of the Netherlands.

Almond and Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

Netherlands | Jan Hagel Koekjes

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 10 minutes resting time

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Makes: About 24 cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups (280 g) all-purpose (plain) flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 ½ sticks (6 oz/170 g) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup (150 g) caster sugar

1 egg, separated

1/3 cup (40 g) sliced (flaked) almonds

1/4 cup (50 g) pearl sugar or roughly crushed sugar cubes

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/Gas Mark 4). Line a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) light metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving the excess hanging over the edges.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In a large bowl, with a hand mixer, beat the butter and white US granulated (UK caster) sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir until there are no dry patches of flour remaining.

Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to make an even layer. Beat the egg white in a small bowl until frothy, then lightly brush the dough with only enough of the beaten egg white to moisten it fully (you should not use all the egg white). Sprinkle the almonds and pearl sugar evenly over the dough.

Bake until the cookie slab is golden brown all over and dry to the touch in the center, 20–25 minutes, rotating the baking pan front to back halfway through.

Transfer the baking pan to a wire rack and let the cookie slab rest for 10 minutes. Using the overhanging parchment paper, slide the cookie slab out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut the cookie slab into 3 × 11/2-inch (7.5 × 4 cm) rectangles. Transfer the rectangles to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

Extract from Crumbs: Cookies and Sweets from Around the World. Published by Phaidon. Book cover credit: Phaidon. Photography credit: Simon Bajada. AUD $69.95 / NZD $80.00.

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