The technique is very similar to making a pie crust. Mix all ingredients together except for the eggs and ground almonds. Blend well with a pastry cutter or use a food processor, until crumbly. Beat eggs very well, then make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the eggs then blend all together with pastry cutter or food processor.

Toast almonds in toaster oven, cool. Grind nuts to a fine texture using a coffee bean grinder, or something similar, add to mixture. Blend well, form into a ball and chill for 1 hour.

After dough is chilled, roll out between 2 sheets of waxed paper or parchment paper to about ¼ inch thick. Cut shapes with your favourite cookie cutters.

Bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness, until lightly browned.

If making jam filled cookies, cut into circles, make an extra small hole in half of the circles.

Bake, then spread about a half teaspoon jam between cookie halves, assemble with the hole on top.

Sprinkle with icing sugar or vanilla sugar.