Almond Cookies
Almond Cookies
Yield: 50-60
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 30 MinInactive time: 2 HourCooling Time: 30 MinTotal time: 3 H & 20 M
This cookie recipe was inspired by some Lunar New Year baking my partner and I undertook for a celebration. While I will never claim it to be truly traditional or authentic, these cookies still make a great dessert for celebrating.
I had originally used someone else's recipe, but tuned it to build out the flavor and texture more. This meant adjusting flour content, swapping some of the sugar for honey, and adding some much needed salt and baking powder. This resulted in a almond cookie ready for the New Year that will keep its softness and taste for days after the party.
Ingredients
Dough
Wash/Decoration
Instructions
- Add softened butter, sugar, honey, almond extract, and vanilla extract into a large bowl. Using either a spatula, stand mixer paddle attachment, or hand mixer, cream the components together until you see a softened and slightly fluffy mixture.
- In a separate bowl, measure out the almond and all-purpose flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Mix together with a fork so that the dry ingredients are evenly distributed within each other.
- Add the dry ingredients and one egg into the large mixing bowl with creamed butter. Bring the dough together using either the mixer or spatula. You will want a solid dough ball that is easy to handle.
- Wrap the dough in saran wrap or store in a food safe container. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours. This lets the butter re-solidify and the gluten relax in the cookies.
- Pre-heat an oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for roughly 20 minutes. The extra time allows for even baking.
- Roll out roughly 20 balls of dough roughly one inch in diameter. Place them evenly across a non-stick or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- In one small bowl, pour out almonds for decoration. Keeping the almonds in a separate container lessens the chance of cross-contamination of bacteria to the main bag.
- In another small bowl, crack one large egg and whisk with a fork until fully scrambled to create an egg wash.
- Using one almond for each cookie, press the almond into the center of the cookie. While doing so, flatten the cookie lightly using your thumb. After each cookie resembles a disk and has an almond, brush the egg wash on using a pastry brush.
- Bake the cookies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit on the center tray for 10-12 minutes. Bake one tray at a time to ensure even baking. Remove from the oven once the sides of the cookie are slightly firm and the top is golden brown. Let cool on the baking tray for 10-15 minutes before serving.
