Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Combine almonds, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until nuts are finely ground, about 2 minutes.

Place nut-sugar mixture in a medium bowl; set aside.

Place flour in the bowl of the food processor and, with the motor running, drop in the pieces of cold butter.

Once the butter is added, stop the motor and pulse until the mixture is sandy, about 10 (1-second) pulses.

Add the reserved nut-sugar mixture, setting aside the bowl it was in, and pulse until the dough forms small curds and clumps, about 20 (1-second) pulses.

Transfer to the reserved bowl.

To shape the cookies, form small pieces of dough about the size of cherries.

Squeeze them in your hand to form irregularly shaped balls and place on the prepared baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart.

Bake for 5 minutes, then rotate the sheet from front to back.

Bake for 8 minutes more, until the cookies are just browned on the bottom and crackly on top (they will still be soft).

Let them cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

The cookies will keep for about 5 days in an airtight container.