Nut Job Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place the nuts on 1 or 2 baking sheets in a single layer and toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant. Cool the nuts for at least 5 minutes. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars on medium-high speed for about 1 minute, until light and fluffyish. This is not, repeat not, cake batter so there is no need to cream to the same extent. One at a time, add the eggs, beating well after each. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Scrape the bottom of the bowl and beat for another minute, until the mixture is consistent. On low speed add the dry ingredients and continue mixing only until the flour disappears. Stir in the nuts (or fold them in if you want an upper-arm workout). With a large ice cream scoop, divide the dough into balls approximately 5 to 6 oz (150 to 175 g) each. You can do this in advance and refrigerate the dough balls. Place the balls on the prepared sheets about 2 inches apart. You will get 6 cookies per sheet. With wet fingers, flatten the dough balls slightly until they are 1 inch thick. Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are golden brown at the edges and appear cooked in the middle. If you've refrigerated the dough, add another minute or two to the baking time. They should still feel slightly undercooked in the center; they just shouldn't look it. Cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring them to racks to cool completely.