In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and 1 cup confectioners’ sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the almond extract.

On low speed, mix in the orange zest, flour and salt. When it is almost combined, but you can still see a little flour, fold in the sliced almonds.

On a lightly floured work surface, shape the dough into a 12” long, 2" x 1-1/2" rectangle.

Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight until firm.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Let the dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before using a sharp knife to cut the dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the cookies on the sheet pan spacing them 1 inch apart.

Bake the cookies for 20-25 minutes until they start to turn light golden brown. Keep the cookies on the sheet pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the icing, whisk together 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons blood orange juice. If the mixture seems too thick, add more juice. If it is too runny, add more sugar.

Dip the cookies in the icing or drizzle their tops. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to let the icing set.