These melt-in-your-mouth almond sugar cookies are chewy, soft and full of almond flavor. Topped with a sweet icing, they are simply the best treat for any time of the year!
¾cup(1 1/2 sticks or 170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1cup(250 g) granulated sugar
1large egg, room temperature
2teaspoonspure almond extract
Icing
1cup(120 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
½teaspoonalmond extract
2 to 3teaspoonsheavy cream, or milk
¼cupSliced 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.
Notes
Flavor note: For less almond flavor, decrease the almond extract to 1 teaspoon and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Alternatively, you can use vanilla as a substitute in the icing.Make ahead: Chill the dough for up to 48 hours. Icing may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Put parchment paper between layers of cookies to prevent them from sticking.Freeze for up to 3 months. Wrap the cookies in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container. Alternatively, freeze the dough in plastic wrap. Defrost in the refrigerator.