When Aunty’s Chinese Almond Cookies come hot out of the oven, they’re steaming with sinfully buttery aromas! Her secret to their deep nutty flavor is toasting the almonds until golden and smoky. They’re so easy to make and when their signature cracks appear, you’ll get to experience an ultra satisfying cookie crumble!
The perfect treat for any occasion
I still remember the first time Aunty gave us a box of her Chinese Almond Cookies. As soon as I bit into them, I instantly fell in love.
Let me recreate that memory for you: When I lifted the lid, I was hit with an unmistakable fragrance of buttery toasted nuts. At the first touch, some of the cookie crumbles stuck to my fingers, and that’s when I knew I’d be in for a delicious treat.
I didn’t have to bite down very hard; as soon as my teeth grazed the surface, it split seamlessly apart and crumbled into my mouth. This experience is one of a kind (no brownie, moon cake, tang yuan or waffle can replicate that).
Then the taste…oh my. Aunty has always worked wonders into her recipes, but I could feel this one’s magic unfold in my mouth as I chewed. Sparkles of sweet, salty and nutty all happening at once.
If there was a festive cookie made for celebrations, this would be it.
Why are almond cookies eaten during Chinese New Year?
Every Lunar New Year when my Aunties and Uncles visit to catch up and drop off edible gifts, there’s always one family who brings a red round box of cookies. They’re often packed with the peanut version, but Chinese Almond Cookies are also a traditional gift.
The reason why they’re a popular present comes down to the symbolism behind it. If you take a close look at its round shape, you’ll notice its similarity with coins. This resemblance symbolizes wealth and good fortune, so is often paired with festive seasons.
With taste and luck on your side, there’s no reason not to bake these at home!
Why this recipe works
- Toasting the nuts gives the cookie a deeper nutty flavor.
- Icing sugar mixes seamlessly into the dry ingredients so the final flavors blend.
- Keeping the oil neutral brings out the fragrance of the almonds.
What you’ll need
About the ingredients
You can use almond meal instead of making your own with raw almonds.
For the oil, opt for a neutral tasting one like vegetable, peanut, canola or rice bran.
How to make this recipe
Sift and combine the flour, baking soda, salt and icing sugar in a bowl.
Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
Toast the almonds in a pan on low heat for 10 minutes or until golden, then let it cool completely. Use a food processor to blitz until sandy. Alternatively, put the almonds in a ziplock bag and beat at them with a rolling pin.
Note: If you like chunky bits, don’t process it too fine.
Mix the ingredients with the oil and knead until it forms a smooth dough.
Take roughly 1.5 tbsp dough at a time and roll into a ball. Gently flatten it between your palms until about 0.8cm (0.3″) thick. Use a knuckle or thumb to press lightly in the center to create a shallow dent.
Optional: Press an almond into the dent.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden.
Serve hot as is!
Recipe FAQs
This type of cookie is typically on the crumbly side. As you bite into them, they’ve got an almost powdery texture. But if you find that they’re too crumbly and it’s difficult to keep them together, knead 1 tbsp oil into the dough and repeat until it’s smooth.
Keep them in a lidded airtight container and they’ll stay edible for up to 3 days. They can be kept out at room temperature and won’t need to be refrigerated.
Definitely! Some recipes instruct you to brush over a light layer of egg yolk so the top has a golden glaze after the cookies are baked. This is entirely optional and up to personal preference. Just make sure to do it before they go in the oven.
Tips for the best results
- Use lard. Replace the oil with homemade lard (instructions on how to render fat can be found here). This will give the cookie extra fragrance. The way it crumbles will also be more delicate.
- Let the dough rest overnight. Wrap it up and keep it in the fridge so the dough can rise. This also gives the ingredients a chance to infuse deeper flavors.
- Avoid over-kneading. The more your work the dough, the tougher it will become.
More sweet snacks to enjoy
- Ching Bo Leung (清補涼) – This drink is packed with a variety of moreish ingredients and is super refreshing on a hot Summer’s day, but can also be served hot to warm the body up.
- Snow Skin Mooncake with Salted Egg Ice Cream Filling – Enjoy mooncakes whenever you want by making this decadent salted egg ice cream version.
- Thạch Dừa (Vietnamese Coconut Jelly) – These are so easy to make and can be stored in small containers in the fridge for an after school or work snack. They’re perfect if you want to grab and go!
- Bánh Kẹp (Coconut Pandan Waffles) – Welcome everyone home with the smell of waffles toasting away. Making them at home means you can have them fresh as they come out.
- Kem Chuối (Vietnamese Banana and Coconut Ice Cream) – We love a good make-ahead dessert, and these ice cream bars are just that. They make a great snack for when you’re craving a sweet bite!
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Chinese Almond Cookies (杏仁餅)
Equipment
- Food processor/ziplock bag and rolling pin
Ingredients
- 300 g / 1 1/4 US cup plain flour
- 200 g / 1 US cup raw almond
- 80 g / 2/3 US cup icing sugar (or to taste)
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 150 mL / 0.6 US cup cooking oil
Instructions
- Sift and combine the flour, baking soda, salt and icing sugar in a bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
- Toast the almonds in a pan on low heat for 10 minutes or until golden, then let it cool completely. Use a food processor to blitz until sandy. Alternatively, put the almonds in a ziplock bag and beat at them with a rolling pin.Note: If you like chunky bits, don't process it too fine.
- Mix the ingredients with the oil and knead until it forms a smooth dough.
- Take roughly 1.5 tbsp dough at a time and roll into a ball. Gently flatten it between your palms until about 0.8cm (0.3") thick. Use a knuckle or thumb to press lightly in the center to create a shallow dent.Optional: Press an almond into the dent.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden.
- Serve hot as is!
Notes
- Use lard. Replace the oil with homemade lard (instructions on how to render fat can be found here). This will give the cookie extra fragrance. The way it crumbles will also be more delicate.
- Let the dough rest overnight. Wrap it up and keep it in the fridge so the dough can rise. This also gives the ingredients a chance to infuse deeper flavors.
- Avoid over-kneading. The more your work the dough, the tougher it will become.
- You can use almond meal instead of making your own with raw almonds.
- For the oil, opt for a neutral tasting one like vegetable, peanut, canola or rice bran.
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