Almond Sugar Cookies
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These soft Almond Sugar Cookies have a delectably doughy texture, comforting almond flavors, and sweet buttercream icing on top. They’re holiday cookies you won’t want to miss!
Almonds have a magical warming flavor that I can’t get enough of. They make everything better, from these almond cupcakes to almond biscotti to my favorite almond banana bread!
These Almond Sugar Cookies are another nutty dessert I crave year-round but especially love around the holidays. If you don’t immediately fall for their comforting almond flavor, the soft and chewy bites are sure to get you!
Keep in mind that these aren’t your typical Christmas sugar cookies decorated with royal icing. They melt in your mouth and taste perfectly sweet, but have a much softer, doughier texture. To finish them off, I topped the soft sugar cookies with fluffy, creamy buttercream icing and slivered almonds for an irresistible presentation.
Recipe features
- Almond sugar cookies are a classic Christmas cookie topped with icing, just like my peppermint shortbread cookies.
- I swapped the traditional royal icing for a 3-ingredient buttercream frosting. After all, this is an easy sugar cookie recipe!
- It’s a simple, one-bowl Christmas cookie recipe that won’t take hours to make or decorate.
Ingredients
Butter – Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature before you get started. It should not be melted.
Granulated sugar – I used white granulated sugar but cane sugar works well as a substitute.
Almond extract – This is where the cookies get their almond flavor! Simply Organic Almond Extract is the best for this recipe because it imparts a realistic warm toasted nut flavor. It was even included on Epicurious’ list of Best Almond Extracts!
All purpose flour – The simplest option that yields cookies that are soft on the inside with slightly crispy edges around the outside.
Buttercream – I decorated the cookies with a simple 3-ingredient buttercream made from butter, milk, and powdered sugar. Have some fun with the frosting if you want! A teaspoon of almond extract or vanilla extract is more than welcome.
How to Make Almond Sugar Cookies
Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar. Use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until fluffy. Finish by mixing in the egg and almond extract.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together.
Step 3: Roll and bake. Roll the dough into 12 very large balls, then place them on a baking sheet. Bake until they’re puffy and the edges are just starting to turn golden. Set them aside to cool.
Step 4: Make the icing. Cream the butter and milk together, then mix in the powdered sugar until it’s smooth.
Step 5: Decorate, then enjoy. Decorate the cooled almond-flavored cookies with the icing, then top with slivered almonds. Enjoy!
Tips and FAQs
- For more almond goodness, fold chopped almonds into the cookie dough!
- Or you can fold dried fruit, shredded coconut, dark chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips, or citrus zest into the dough.
- If you need these to be nut free or want to change the flavor, use vanilla extract in place of the almond extract. They won’t be almond sugar cookies anymore, but they’ll still be delicious.
- The frosting is optional, so feel free to leave it off of the cookies for a simple presentation.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
Leave room in between each cookie dough ball on the baking sheet. These babies will spread and you don’t want them sticking together!
Almond Sugar Cookie FAQs
Do you have to chill the cookie dough?
No, chilling the cookie dough before baking isn’t necessary for this recipe. However, if your kitchen is very warm or the dough feels soft, it can help to pop the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before rolling and baking the cookie dough balls.
Can they be made vegan?
While I haven’t tested this recipe with vegan substitutes, vegan butter, a flax egg, and non-dairy milk should work in place of the regular ingredients in the dough and icing.
How many cookies does this recipe make?
This recipe makes approximately 12 extra-large cookies. If you want to make enough for a crowd, simply roll the dough into smaller balls to make 24 regular cookies.
Can you make the dough ahead of time?
Yes! To do so, place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer. Once frozen solid, transfer the balls to an airtight container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Bake the cookies from frozen but add an extra 3 to 5 minutes to the bake time.
Storage
Room temperature: You can store the baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container on the kitchen counter for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Or keep the cookies in the fridge so they stay fresh for up to 1 week.
Freezer: Keep the baked cookies in an airtight container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
More soft and chewy holiday cookies
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Almond Sugar Cookies
Video
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the frosting (optional):
- 3 tbsp butter, softened
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, or spray with nonstick spray; set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with a mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the egg, almond extract, and vanilla and mix for an additional minute.
- Next, add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly on low speed to combine, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix until there is a dough formed and the dry ingredients have combined with the wet ingredients.
- Roll the dough into 12 very large balls, then place them on the baking sheet, making sure they’re spaced at least 2 inches apart. Bake cookies for 11-13 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for about 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Allow the cookies to cool completely before icing them.
- Optional: make the icing by creaming butter and milk together, then add the powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. Ice each cookie until there isn’t any icing left.
- Keep cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or keep in the fridge for up to a week. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Next time I will make cookies smaller they”re great
Thanks Kathy — I’m glad you liked the cookies!
Hi Erin! Super excited to make this recipe. Wanted to confirm if there should be almond and vanilla extract? It says “vanilla” in ingredients but doesn’t mention it in the instructions. Thank you so much!
Yes there should be both!
Hi Erin, I just made your cookie recipe. I think it may be my new favorite cookie! I did use just powder sugar, milk and almond extract as the icing but I made the dough exactly as shown. I made over 2 dozen good size cookies. Thanks for this recipe!
Wow, that’s quite the compliment — thanks so much Frances!