Chinese Almond Cookies (Printer-friendly)
Crisp, buttery cookies with almond flour and whole nut centers. Classic Chinese bakery favorite.
# What you'll need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup almond flour
03 - 1 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 1 large egg, reserve half yolk for wash
08 - 1 teaspoon almond extract
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Toppings
10 - 32 whole blanched almonds
11 - 1 tablespoon milk
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until well blended.
03 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Mix in egg (reserving half the yolk for egg wash), almond extract, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing just until a soft dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions, roll into balls, and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten slightly and press a blanched almond into the center of each.
07 - Whisk reserved egg yolk with 1 tablespoon milk. Brush tops of cookies with the egg wash mixture.
08 - Bake for 16-18 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Allow to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These cookies have that perfect sandy, crumbly texture that literally melts on your tongue
- They store beautifully for up to a week, making them ideal for holiday gifting or unexpected guests
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are essential here, cold butter will give you a completely different texture
- Overmixing the dough makes tough cookies, stop as soon as the flour disappears
03 -
- Blanch your own almonds by boiling raw ones for 60 seconds, then slipping off the skins
- For extra fragrance, toast the almond flour at 300F for 8 minutes before using