These Soft Almond Sugar Cookies are buttery soft with the best almond flavor! You can make these delicious sugar cookies within 30 minutes. It's no surprise how quickly they've become a favorite among my friends and readers!
I found this recipe a few months ago and have made it's about 6 times, it's so easy and so good!
-Miranda, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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I absolutely love almond flavored desserts. They have such a rich, sweet, nutty flavor that I can't get enough of.
These soft almond cookies are simple to whip up, incredibly delicious, and I have a feeling this recipe is going to become your new go-to sugar cookie recipe!
They're sweet, rich, and have that perfect, doughy, chewy texture we all love in homemade sugar cookies. To top it all off, they are glazed in a sweet almond icing with the perfect amount of almond flavor and sliced almonds for a little crunch (similar to my orange almond chocolate chip cookies).
If you're as obsessed with almond flavor I am, I highly recommend trying my Almond Poppy Seed Muffins, Almond Cream Cake, Almond Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting, and Almond Coffee Cake!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These buttery soft cookies will melt in your mouth, just like my lemon cookie bars!
- It only requires 10 ingredients that you probably already have on hand - no secret ingredient needed.
- These super easy almond flavored cookies come together in only 4 steps and about 30 minutes!
- The flavor of these soft sugar cookies is great all year round, so keep this recipe on-hand for everything from movie nights to birthday parties to the holiday season where these will become your go-to almond Christmas cookies.
- This delicious take on classic sugar cookies is easy to double or triple to make a lot of cookies.
Ingredients
- Almond extract is what turns these sugar cookies into something super special. It can be found in the baking aisle of your grocery store by the vanilla extract. I highly recommend using a high quality one, like Watkins Pure Almond Extract.
- Granulated sugar beat together with room temperature butter makes these into soft and chewy sugar cookies.
- Powdered sugar, also referred to as confectioners' sugar, is key to making a smooth, creamy almond icing when combined with milk. Not only is powdered sugar finely ground, it also contains cornstarch which helps bring the icing together.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Substitute your favorite extract flavoring for the almond extract such as vanilla, maple, or lemon.
- Add food coloring to the icing to make decorated chewy almond sugar cookies.
- Incorporate your favorite chocolate candies or dried fruit into the batter to add additional texture and flavor.
- Swap the almond icing for cream cheese frosting and fresh fruit, like in my fruit pizza cookies recipe!
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
most valuable tool
Food Scale
Weigh your ingredients using a food scale for the most accurate measurements and easy clean-up!
How to Make Almond Sugar Cookies
Quick Recipe Video
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, beat softened unsalted butter and sugar until light and fluffy on medium-high speed. Then add in the egg and almond extract.
Step 2: Mix the all purpose flour, baking soda, and salt into the wet ingredients until just combined, ensuring you scrape the sides of the bowl.
Step 3: Roll the almond cookie dough into 3-4 tablespoon balls and place on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart until you fill the entire baking sheet. Bake cookies at 350°F until the edges of the cookies look dry and are just barely tan. Remove from the oven and cool the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Step 4: To make the icing, in a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract. Spread almond icing on the cookies, add a few sliced almonds, and let dry.
Expert Tips
- Room temperature butter is necessary to be able to cream with the sugar. Leave the butter on the counter a few hours ahead of baking or pop it into the microwave in 10 second increments until you can lightly press into the side of the stick of butter.
- Be careful not to over-bake the cookies! They should just be starting to tan on the edges and may still look undercooked in the centers when you take them out of the oven. If they bake for too long, they won't be as soft.
- For best results, sift your powdered sugar to ensure there are no clumps in your icing.
Recipe FAQs
Most likely this is because of the bake time. Unlike other homemade cookie recipes, you barely want these sugar cookies to brown. Keep a close eye on them while baking so you don't overcook them and immediately transfer them to a cooling rack.
This can be from overworking your dough. When flour gets overmixed, it can turn your desserts tough or gluey. Make sure you stop mixing as soon as you can no longer see the dry ingredients to ensure soft cookies.
This is usually a result of over-measuring the flour. Weigh your dry ingredients in grams using a food scale for most accurate measurements!
Of course! These almond cookies are just as delicious plain as they are with the glaze.
Storage
Room Temperature
Store unfrosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Refrigerator
Iced almond cookies can be stored in the fridge for 1 week. They should stay soft here!
Freezing Instructions
For the longest shelf life, wrap the baked cookies in a freezer-safe storage container and freeze for up to 3 months.
If you don't want to bake all of the the dough right away, roll the remaining dough into balls and then freeze in a Ziploc bag so you can have freshly baked cookies whenever you get a hankering. Store in your freezer for up to 1 month and place cookie dough balls directly from the freezer onto a prepared cookie sheet and bake as directed.
📖 Recipe
Soft Almond Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment recommended
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Cookie scoop
- Baking sheet
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Almond Sugar Cookies
- 10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons almond extract*
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour weighed in grams or spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Almond Icing
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar
- 1½ tablespoons milk
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ cup sliced almonds optional, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy (1-2 minutes). Mix in the egg and almond extract well.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Scoop 3-4 tablespoons of dough, roll into a ball, and place on a baking sheet 2-3 inches apart. Bake until the edges just start to tan (about 9-12 minutes).
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- In a small bowl, make the icing by stirring together the powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract until smooth. Spread icing over the cooled cookies and top with a few sliced almonds.
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Can we make it without an egg?
Hi Lata! I haven't tried this but I wouldn't recommend leaving it out of this recipe, sorry!
I followed the instructions exactly. Only difference I made is using vanilla extract instead because that’s what I had on hand. Th cookies didn’t spread. Not sure what the trick is there as that seems to always be my problem with every sugar cookie.
Hi Shay! Happy to help troubleshoot 🙂 do you use a scale to weigh your flour? And is your baking soda fresh? (you can test this by mixing baking soda with a little bit of vinegar...if it fizzes, it's fresh, but if it doesn't, you'll want to replace it)
Love the tip on the baking soda!
Perfect cookies. I made them a bit smaller and was so happy they kept their beautiful shape. First time making them and I am not even sure I want to frost them. They are perfect as is!
So good! Can you use other flavors to switch out the almond? Thinking lemon..
Hi Jessica! I'm so glad you like them!! You could certainly try swapping out the almond for lemon extract!
Love these almond cookies
Made this dough and freezing into balls for closer to the holiday! Smells delicious can’t wait to try. Wondering you recommend the dough to be thawed or can be baked frozen?
Hi Ramona! I recommend baking them while they're frozen - they may take an extra minute or two in the oven 😊 I hope you like them!!
I love this recipe, has anyone tried to make them as cut out cookies? I would like to make this recipe as one but scared it wont work
These almond sugar cookies are SO good. The almond flavor is the perfect amount. Definitely a keeper!
they came out heavenly I love this recipe
2 questions: 1. Can you double or triple the recipe, and 2. Does the icing firm up? Thank you.
Hey Jill! Great questions 🙂
1. Yes, there's a toggle by the ingredients header that should convert everything to 2x.
2. The icing dries but stays pretty soft.
Best cookies ever!!!!!
Hubby request this all the time now. Thank you for sharing.
Aw yay thank you for making them!! I'm so happy you both love them so much! 🙂