Almond Sugar Cookies (soft & chewy)
Ten ingredients is all you need to bake these delicious almond sugar cookies. Soft, chewy and full of almond flavor, these cookies are easy to make and perfect for adding to your holiday cookie plate. You are going to love this recipe!
I’m a huge fan of almond extract. I think it makes any ordinary recipe extraordinary (just check out my lemon poppy seed bread or cherry muffins). For my next recipe, I wanted to incorporate the uniquely rich flavor into my sugar cookies. The only thing that could make them better was a simple glaze on top!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make. Mix the ingredients together, chill the dough and bake!
- Delicious flavor. There is nothing better than the flavor of almond extract in my opinion and these cookies are full of it!
- Amazing texture. They are perfectly chewy with a sweet glaze that melts in your mouth. If you like a bit of crunch, a few sliced almonds on top will do the trick!
- Perfect for the holidays. Whip up a batch of these to add to your Christmas cookie plate or bring to your holiday parties.
- Only 10 ingredients and they are super easy to find, but you probably already have them in your kitchen!
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: Use all purpose flour for this recipe. I prefer King Arthur Flour.
- Baking powder: To help the cookies rise, use baking powder (make sure it’s not expired).
- Butter: Unsalted butter gives provides a buttery taste and melt-away texture. Bring it to room temperature for easy mixing.
- Almond extract: This is what gives the almond flavor! It’s easy to find at your local grocery store.
- Granulated sugar: Use regular sugar in the dough to add sweetness and moisture.
- Confectioners’ sugar: For the icing, use confectioners’ sugar, also known as powdered sugar.
Refer to the recipe card for ingredient details and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Try different flavors. Swap out the almond extract with vanilla, orange or lemon extract. Alternatively, you can keep the almond extract in the cookie dough, but use a different extract in the glaze (my personal favorite!)
Add some mix-ins. After combining the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, stir in 1/2 cup chopped almonds or dried fruit, such as cranberries or cherries. Keep in mind the tops of the cookies won’t be as smooth when mix-ins are involved!
Get creative decorating. Dye the icing with food gel or add some sprinkles!
Frost the cookies instead. Try my vanilla buttercream frosting or you can spread cream cheese frosting on top like I do for my frosted pumpkin cookies.
How to Make Almond Sugar Cookies
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and almond extract, then mix until incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Cover and chill the dough for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop dough into balls and bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely.
- Make the icing. Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, cream and almond extract. Dip the tops of cooled cookies in the icing and garnish with sliced almonds.
Expert Tips
Weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale for accurate measuring. If you don’t have a scale, spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level with a knife (don’t pack it down).
Use room temperature ingredients. They are easier to mix and make a smoother dough. As a result, the cookies will have a better, more consistent, texture.
Chill the dough before baking—at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight. This step guarantees chewy cookies that don’t spread.
Do not over-bake and let the cookies cool completely before icing. If they are still warm, the icing will melt and thin out. They will still taste delicious, but won’t be as pretty.
Storage and Make Ahead Tips
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Place parchment paper between layers to prevent the icing from sticking.
Freeze dough wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before scooping dough into balls and baking. You can also scoop the dough into balls, flash freeze for an hour, then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen for 12 to 14 minutes.
Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
Make ahead the dough and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. The icing may also be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring it to room temperature and whisk it again before using.
Recipe FAQ
No, this dough won’t work with cookie cutters. Instead, try my cut-out sugar cookie recipe with almond extract.
Most likely the dough was over-mixed, which results in a tough texture. Another reason could be that they were over-baked.
There was probably too much flour added to the dough. Use a kitchen scale for accurate measuring. Also, it’s possible the cookies were over-baked. Check that your oven temperature is correct.
There was probably too much flour. Again, use a kitchen scale for accurate measuring. If you want thinner cookies than what is pictured, you can swap out the baking powder for baking soda.
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Get the Recipe: Almond Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 ¼ cups (281 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (1 1/2 sticks or 170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure almond extract
Icing
- 1 cup (120 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 to 3 teaspoons heavy cream, or milk
- ¼ cup Sliced almonds
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add egg and almond extract, and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
- Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined (don’t overmix).
- Chill dough for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop dough and roll into a ball. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake cookies at 350° F for 10 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden. Let cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the icing, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, almond extract and 2 teaspoons of cream. Glaze should be on the thicker side. If it’s too thick to adhere to the cookies, add more cream 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Dip the top of a cooled cookie into the glaze and pull straight up to avoid any dripping on the sides. Place on parchment and garnish with sliced almonds. Let the glaze set before serving.
