Most crisp Chinese style almond cookie.
Chinese almond cookie is one of the yummy and crunchy Chinese style pastries, usually made for festivals (Chinese New Year). It has been the most popular snack for children in my family for years. Similar cookies include Chinese walnut cookie and butter cookie.
The original recipe is published 4 years ago but I changed the recipe a lot in this year’s new version. In order to make the cookies much crispier, I use almond flour in the dough. Please note, since we add almond flour and relatively a smaller amount of liquid in the dough, there will be cracks on the surface. Cracks indicate the successfully produced crisp texture. If you want to eliminate the cracks on the surface, use less flour and make the dough softer.
Almond flour not only brings the cookie a aroma of almond, but also changes the texture.
Cream butter with egg yolk, sugar and almond extract in a large mixing bowl and then sift salt, cake flour, almond flour and baking soda. Combine all the ingredients together and then knead into a dough. Cover with plastic wrapper and refrigerate for 1 hour (optional in winter).
Preheat the oven to 170 degree C. Divide the dough into 16 similar pieces and then shape each one into a round ball. Slightly flat with fingers (or if you prefer a cuter pattern, you can use forks). Then decorate whole almond in the center. Optionally, brush the egg wash.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes and then let the cookies stay in the oven for another 10 minutes.
Transfer to cooling rack until completely cooled. Then package with air-tight container.
Chinese Almond Cookie
Ingredients
- 115 g butter ,softened in room temperature
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 tsp. almond extract
- 120 g cake flour
- 60 g almond flour
- 1 small pinch of salt
- 35 g to 40g sugar
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 16 whole almonds for decoration
egg wash
- 1 tbsp. egg liquid + 1 tbsp. water
Instructions
- Cream butter with egg yolk, sugar and almond extract in a large mixing bowl and then sift salt, cake flour, almond flour and baking soda.
- Combine all the ingredients together and then knead into a dough. Cover with plastic wrapper and refrigerate for 1 hour (optional in winter).
- Pre-heat oven to 170 degree C.
- Divide the dough into 16 similar pieces and then shape each one into a round ball. Slightly flat with fingers (or if you prefer a cuter pattern, you can use forks). Then decorate whole almond in the center. Optionally, brush the egg wash.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes and then let the cookies stay in the oven for another 10 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack until completely cooled. Then package with air-tight container.
Notes
Nutrition
I’ve been following this blog for a long time- I use this site for all my Chinese cooking and baking recipes since they are authentic, well explained, and my family is from Sichuan. I made these yesterday and my family could not believe I had made them! They said they tasted store bought and were asking how I could find an authentic Chinese recipe haha. Thanks so much and please keep sharing new recipes!
This is an amazing comment, Mary. I post real authentic Chinese recipes and also get lots of complains about now well customized. Your comment is a great encouragement.
Hi, I made these cookies last year and they turned out so so well. This year when I made them the dough was too soft and every batch of cookies splooshed out while baking. Any idea about what could have happened? Thanks very much, I loved these cookies when they came out right.
The flour has different liquid content. You can try to add more butter to adjust the softness of the dough. The dough should be quite smooth after kneading.
What is 60g almond flour is what in cup?
129g cake flour is what in a cup?
35-40g sugar = ??
I highly recommend using a scale to measure the ingredients. I am not sure about the volume measurements.
Hi! I came across your blog while searching for an almond cookie recipe. Tried yours and came out really amaaazing! I especially like that the recipe is not sweet and is rich in almond taste. The only downside is that these cookies are addictive and we cannot stop eating them. I just baked a second batch for gift. The only thing I changed in the recipe is that instead of two eggyolks I put only one whole egg. Only with the eggyolk, the cookies come out too crumbly and they break too easily. With the help of eggwhite, they stay more stable in the cookie box.
Thank you so much for the recipe, I will cook other recipes of yours too. BTW you have so many recipes, what are your let’s say, top 5 favorites you think that is a must to try?
Hi Sherly,
Thanks for much for leaving me such a great comment.
I get Mapo tofu, Mala chicken, Eggplant with garlic sauce, steamed pork belly and my Yang Chou fried rice as my favorite top 5 recipes. But I get lots of positive feedback from my readers. And their tops are Scallion pancakes, steamed buns, homemade noodles and dumpling wrappers.
First time baking this recipe, but I weighed and measured everything and am an avid baker. Tried the whole egg substitute suggested by Sherly. My cookies came out entirely too puffy and cake-like. Not sure if the result was due to the recipe or substitution. Either way, not making this recipe again. Into the trash these cookies go. Hoping to save others the time/expense.
I love your recipes and I just made the almond cookies. They are cooling right now so I haven’t taste tested them yet but they look beautiful!
I did see two spelling errors. Under instructions:
1. Shift should be sift
5. track should be rack
I made a PDF for you if that would be more helpful.
Thank you for your website, I enjoy reading and making your recipes!
Thank you for your information, George. I have already corrected the recipe.
Love this recipe! The amount of sugar is just perfect, not overly sweet like most Western desserts.
Thank you Julie for your lovely feedback.
Just made this recipe for Chinese New Year! I have never made it. I did switch out butter for lard.
Can lard be substituted for butter? Thanks.
Sure! Dorothy!
I used coconut oil instead of butter and used one egg with half the whites and baked these cookies. I had 2 tablespoons of egg whites remaining for the egg wash. They came out amazing! Delicate, flaky, not too sweet and just melts in your mouth delicious! I have been baking Chinese Almond Cookies for many years but your recipe is now my go to for this Chinese Almond Cookie.
Thanks Nina. That’s really a comment that made my day. I love this version very much too. Happy cooking!
I am assuming that after you bake these cookies the specified time of 18- 20 minutes, you turn off the oven and let the cookies sit in the oven for another 10 minutes.
am I correct in that.
Hi,jackie
Yes, you are right, It won’t be so hot, but it won’t affect the taste much.