These Soft Almond Sugar Cookies are a delicious alternative to traditional plain sugar cookies. With a slightly nutty warm almond flavor, soft chewy texture, and covered with sanding sugar for a little crunch, these cookies are perfect holiday cookies and general snacking all year round.
This article was first published on June 21, 2013. It has been updated and republished on October 21, 2022 with all new photos, improved recipe, step-by-step instructions and photos, and additional helpful information to help you make the most delicious almond sugar cookies!
Sugar cookies are nice. But these Soft Almond Sugar Cookies are DIVINE!!
Super soft and pillowy, and coated in crunchy sparkling sanding sugar, these are sugar cookies taken to the next level!
The delicious almond flavor makes your house smell amazing while the cookies are baking, and lends a warm, rich flavor to the cookies.
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🌟 Why you'll love these soft almond sugar cookies
This is one of my personal favorite cookie recipes. I've made it a LOT over the years, and it is always so scrumptious and satisfying, each and every time I make it. The kids love it, and we often give them as gifts to friends and family over the holidays.
- You need just 10 ingredients to make these cookies.
- The recipe is super simple and easy to follow.
- This is a fun recipe that's easy enough for the kids to make on their own (with supervision of little ones).
- The batter freezes well, so you can make a few batches at a time and freeze some for later.
🍬 Ingredient notes
Flour - This almond cookie recipe calls for a mix of cake flour and all-purpose flour. The blend of flours helps create a soft yet structured cookie with a lovely texture that nearly melts in your mouth.
Almond - Almond extract is the key to the flavor of these sugar cookies. This is one ingredient that you can't really substitute when making this recipe.
Butter - Use unsalted butter that is softened at room temperature so that it creams smoothly with the other ingredients.
Eggs - Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before you mix them into the batter. Room temperature eggs mix more smoothly and help create a better cookie.
✅ Step-by-step instructions
These soft almond cookies are so easy to make! Here are some step-by-step instructions and baking tips. Be sure to go to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post with exact measurements for each ingredient and detailed baking instructions.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until combined. You'll want to cream the butter and sugar together until the mix is light yellow, and fluffy/creamy, which takes anywhere from 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the eggs and almond extract to the mixture. Mix until incorporated.
3. In another bowl, sift together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in the stand mixer until ingredients are fully combined.
5. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in wax paper, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Chilling helps stop the cookies from over-spreading while baking. If you're impatient, you can certainly bake these without chill time. However, your cookies will likely bake up thinner and have a different final texture.
6. Using a medium cookie scoop, portion out dough and roll the dough into balls.
7. Roll the balls in the sugar in the raw (or the sugar sprinkles) to completely cover. Place on cookie sheets.
8. Using the palm of your hand, press down firmly on the top of the cookie to flatten a bit (cookies will not spread much while baking).
9. Bake 7-8 minutes. Remove cookies to a cooling rack.
👩🏻🍳 Cookie and Baking FAQs
Chilling cookie dough, even for just 30 minutes, helps keep the cookies from spreading out too thin. I highly recommend chilling your dough for anywhere from 30 minutes (minimum) to 2 hours. You can make the cookies without chilling the dough, but your cookies will likely spread out to thin cookies that are crisper rather than soft and fluffy.
Yes! You can follow the instructions up until the chilling point. Then instead of chilling the dough in the refrigerator, wrap in plastic wrap then place in a freezer safe resealable bag, label the bag with contents and the date, and then freeze. You can freeze this sugar cookie dough for up to two months. When you're ready to bake, take the dough out of the freezer and thaw completely, then continue with the shaping, sugar coating, and baking instructions.
☕️ Serving ideas
These almond sugar cookies are absolutely delicious on their own, but go really well with a cup of tea or coffee.
They are perfect for gift-giving. They're just the right shape and size to fit into a Christmas cookie box, along with chocolate chip biscotti, peanut butter blossoms, mint chocolate chip brownies, chocolate-dipped peppermint shortbread cookies, and soft ginger molasses cookies.
🍪 More cookie recipes
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Soft Almond Sugar Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons almond extract
- 2¾ cup cake flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- sanding sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is light yellow and creamy.
- Add the eggs to the mixer, beating in one at a time. Then add the almond extract and mix for 30 seconds.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients mixture to the wet mixture in the mixer until just ingredients are fully combined.
- Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350° degrees.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, portion out dough and roll the dough into balls.
- Place the sanding sugar (or sugar in the raw or colored sugar) in a shallow bowl. Roll the balls in the sugar until completely covered. Place on cookie sheets about an inch or two apart. Using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass, press down on the top of each cookie to flatten them down a bit (cookies will not spread much while baking).
- Bake at 350°F for 7-9 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
This article was first published on June 21, 2013. It has been updated and republished on October 21, 2022 with all new photos, improved recipe, step-by-step instructions and photos, and additional helpful information to help you make the most delicious almond sugar cookies!
Qashang says
I love them so much more than sugar cookies, which I find to be overly sweet. These were the perfect balance of sweetness with the nutty almond.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
So happy to hear you loved them!
Beth says
These cookies are so good. Almond cookies and sugar cookies are both at the top of my cookie list, so I was excited to try this combination of the two.
Gen says
I love how easy these directions are and love the flavor! Thank you. I’ll be making these all holiday season.
Kathleen says
Count me in for these Soft, Chewy and Almond flavored cookies. They are a perfect year round sugar cookie.
Kerri says
How delicious! I love using almond extract in my baking and this is the perfect recipe for it!
Jenny says
Wanting to try this recipe but curious to know how many cookies to expect per batch.
Bonnie says
Hi Marlynn, thanks for the recipe. I just wanted to let you know that I used all unbleached all-purpose flour (no cake flour) and the recipe turned out wonderfully. This is going in the vault!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hi Bonnie,
Thanks so much for letting me know! Glad it was tasty! :)
Best,
Marlynn
LISE says
hi Marylyn, can I use splenda instead of sugar. I'm cooking for my diabetic hubby. Thanks.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hi! Oh I wish I knew the answer, but I have never cooked or baked with Splenda before. If you normally substitute Splenda for sugar in other baking recipes, and it has worked well, then I would think it would be possible in this recipe as well. If you try it, please do let me know how it goes!
latina girl says
hi, i was wondering if i could use for the entire recipe all purpose flour instead of half cake flour sand half all purpose
thank you
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hi there! You can use all purpose flour for the entire recipe however be aware that it will not have the same super soft texture. It will be a little more cake-y/doughy. If you do try it with 100% all purpose flour instead of 1/2 with cake flour, please do let me know how it goes! Thanks!