Crisp, lightly crumbly Chinese almond cookies with plenty of almond flavor. Suitable for everyday baking or festive occasions like Chinese New Year.
Cookies tend to show up more often around Chinese New Year, and Chinese Almond Cookies are one of those that often get baked during this time.
There are quite a few versions of almond cookies, ranging from soft and crumbly to very crisp or crunchy. My take sits somewhere in the middle. These have a nice crunch on the outside, with a slightly softer center.
This is a simple recipe that doesn’t require chilling the dough or rolling it into balls. The dough is light and easy to work with, so you can scoop it straight onto the baking sheet.
While these cookies work well for Chinese New Year, they’re just as enjoyable to bake and eat any time of the year!
How to Make Chinese Almond Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a mixing bowl, cream together 2 sticks (227g) of softened butter and 1 cup of sugar using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed. Mix for about 2 minutes, until the mixture looks pale and fluffy.
This step helps set up the crisp exterior later on.
Add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of almond extract to the butter, then continue mixing at medium speed for another minute until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups almond flour, 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture gradually, about ½ cup at a time, mixing just until everything comes together. The dough should be light and soft.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop heaping tablespoons of the cookie dough onto the sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space in between each cookie.
I use a cookie dough scoop to ensure all the cookies are the same size so they bake evenly.
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Top each cookie with a sliced almond.
Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are slightly browned. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack, where they’ll firm up as they set.
Enjoy while they're still warm!
💡 Pro Tips for the Best Chinese Almond Cookies
- Use almond flour for a finer texture. Almond flour gives these cookies a smoother, more even crumb. Coarsely ground almonds will make them rougher and more crumbly. Not wrong; just a different texture.
- Don’t overbake if you want a softer center. The cookies should still feel slightly soft when they come out of the oven. They firm up as they cool. Baking until fully crisp in the oven usually leads to drier cookies.
- Humidity affects crispness. Like most homemade cookies, these will soften slightly the next day, especially in humid climates. If you prefer them very crunchy, pop the cookies into a toaster oven for about 2 minutes, then let them cool completely. The crisp texture comes back once they cool.
- Use a scoop for even baking. Keeping the cookies the same size helps them bake evenly. A cookie scoop makes this easier (I looove mine), but a heaping tablespoon works too.
🎁 Packing & Gifting Tips
- Let the cookies cool completely before packing. Packing them while warm traps moisture and softens the cookies faster.
- Use airtight containers for gifting. This helps keep the cookies crisp, especially if they won’t be eaten the same day.
- Bake closer to gifting day if possible. These cookies are at their best within the first few days. If they soften, they can be briefly re-crisped before packing.
- Add a label with the bake date and best-by date. These cookies are best enjoyed within 1 week when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Be sure to include a note to re-crisp them in a toaster oven for a couple of minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
They’re related, but not quite the same. Almond flour is made from finely ground, blanched almonds and has a very soft, even texture. Almonds ground at home are usually coarser and tend to release oil unevenly, which can make the cookies more crumbly. You can use home-ground almonds, but expect a different texture.
When stored in an airtight container at room temperature, these cookies stay fresh for about a week. They do gradually soften over time, especially in humid environments. If you prefer them crisp, you can re-crisp the cookies briefly in a toaster oven before serving.
The baked cookies freeze better than the dough. Once cooled, freeze them in an airtight container. Let them thaw at room temperature, then re-crisp in a toaster oven if needed.
Chinese Almond Cookies
Ingredients
- 227g butter 2 sticks, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup sliced almonds for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Cream the butter and sugar with a hand or stand mixer at medium speed for about 2 minutes.
- Add egg and almond extract to the butter. Mix at medium speed for 1 more minute.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients gradually to the wet ingredients about ½ a cup at a time until well combined.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop heaping tablespoons of the cookie dough onto the sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space in between each cookie.
- Top each cookie with a sliced almond.
- Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. Allow the cookies to cool on wire racks. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
More Chinese New Year Cookie Recipes
If you’re baking a cookie box for Lunar New Year, here are a few more favorites to try next.
I put together a full roundup of my favorite CNY cookies, from classic buttery bites to fun modern twists.
More cookie recipes to try:
