Orange Toffee Almond Sandies

I was watching Paula Deen make these cookies last night on Food Network and I thought they looked so perfect, not to mention the list of favorites that go into the cookie..orange zest, almonds and toffee..yum!
So this morning I decided to make a half batch and they came out just as those pictured on her show. The only time I've ever put cream of tartar into a cookie has been when I'm making snickerdoodles. It's supposed to act like baking powder when used with baking soda, or so says the internet! But I think it helped give the cookies a little more rise.
They have a wonderful orange flavor, using not only orange zest but also orange extract. The texture of the cookie is really like a sandie, kind of reminds me of a pecan sandie cookie and perhaps if you swap out the almonds for pecans and leave out the almond extract you'd have a pecan sandie cookie?
The toffee give the cookie a nice chewy texture, also.
I used my standing mixer, rather than the electric mixer suggested in the original recipe.

So begin by combining your dry ingredients, then set aside.
In your mixer bowl, beat the butter with the sugars and oil til well combined.
Add eggs, one at a time , then add the zest, almonds and toffee.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. I used my small cookie scoop, which gave me a cookie about 3" across. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Orange Toffee Almond Sandies ( recipe from Paula Deen's show)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup vegetable oil ( I used canola oil)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1/2 tsp. orange extract

2 large eggs

4 1/2 cup AP flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. salt ( scant)

3 tbsp. orange zest

2 cups sliced almonds

2 cups English toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350.

1. Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

2. In mixer bowl, beat butter, oil and both sugars.

3. Beat in extracts.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix til well combined.

6. Stir in zest, almonds and toffee bits.

7. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls, spacing 2" apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.

8. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Cool on sheet about one minute, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.