These Chinese almond cookies are way better than any restaurant cookie. Flaky-crumbly, yummy, and impossible to resist.
Chinese Almond Cookies
Updated 20 Dec 2009
Originally posted 14 March 2007
The first time I ever had these almond cookies was when I received them as a favor for my bridal shower. They were so delicious I literally inhaled those cookies! Aunty Charlene (sister to Aunty Marlene, who gave me that wonderful banana muffin recipe) told me that she got the recipe from her dad a long time ago. Thankfully, she was willing to share her recipe with me and since that time, I’ve made it for countless occasions. I even use them as favors at my kids’ birthday parties now (talk about coming full circle!).
Catching Up
It was through one of these birthday parties that our good friend J and her kids got to try my almond cookies. She has been asking me for the recipe for a long while and I kept meaning to put it up but somehow just never got around to it. The good news is we actually got to bake these almond cookies with J’s kids before we left San Jose. So even though that was a few months’ back and I still had not posted the recipe, at least she got a hard copy of it. (Sorry J for taking so long!)
This almond cookie recipe is very kid-friendly! You basically dump all the ingredients into your mixer, mix till you get a dough, roll them into balls and press down the center with some food coloring. Bake, and tadah! Beautiful cookies.
Beautiful, Chinese Almond Cookies
What I love about this almond cookie is how flaky and yummy they are. The other almond cookie recipe we posted recently is also wonderful but they are chewy and quite sweet. This one is a Chinese Almond Cookie so if you have Asian tastebuds like me and like to have your sweets, well…less sweet, this is the cookie for you. Also, if you’re Chinese (read: pake) like me, this one is the cheaper cookie to bake up. Tee hee! ^_^
And here is the most amazing thing—even though this is an Almond cookie, you don’t actually need to put any almonds in it at all. If you use imitation almond essence (I can’t believe I’m saying this), for all the nut-allergy people in your midst, this could be totally friendly for them. I have a friend who is deathly allergic to nuts and I’ve served him this cookie with no problems (when I use that “fake” almond flavoring).
Of course, if you don’t have any allergy issues, I’d say go with the real almond extract and substitute some of the flour with almond meal. That would kick up the almond flavor big time.
Pure Almond Extract
Either ways, you can’t really go wrong. The cookie is super delicious and crumbly in texture. It reminds me of another Chinese cookie known as Hup Toh Soh (maybe it’s even the same one and this is just the name it’s known as here in Malaysia).
Try this Chinese almond cookie recipe and let me know if you can stop at just one. I’ve never been able to eat just one at a go. It’s that good.
Chinese Almond Cookie Recipe
makes about 5 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Crisco shortening (Crisco really is the best brand for this but if you cannot find it, just any shortening will do, and don’t substitute with butter or you will not get the texture right)
1 cup vegetable oil (I use canola but any vegetable oil will do)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
2. Sift flour, salt and baking soda (sometimes I get lazy and don’t do this step but it does help the cookie bake up better).
3. Combine all the ingredients and mix till it forms a dough.
4. Roll the dough into balls about the size of large marbles
5. Place them on cookie sheets about one and a half inches apart.
6. Indent the center of the cookie using the back of a chopstick that has been dipped into red food coloring. Press down about halfway through the thickness of the cookie. Alternately, you can put a half slice of almond in the center in place of the red food coloring.
Chinese Almond Cookies Ready to Bake
7. Bake 10-15 minutes till the cookies are just lightly golden brown around the edges.
8. Transfer to wire rack and cool.
Chinese Almond Cookies Ready to Eat
Enjoy!
Cheers, Annie
What cookies are you baking up this holiday season? Leave a comment and tell us about it!
FAQs
Ingredients in Chinese Almond Cookies
Almond flour, almond extract, and slivered almonds ensure that you get an intense flavor that will eclipse any paper-filled treat. Set out a plate of these for the upcoming Chinese New Year. Almond cookies symbolize coins and will be sure to bring you good fortune.
When were Chinese almond cookies invented? ›
Like chop suey and fortune cookies, it appears to have originated after the first wave of Chinese immigration to the U.S. in he mid-1800s. There is no record of almond cookies prior to the early 1900s.
What are the almond cookies called? ›
Types of almond biscuits include almond macaroons, Italian amaretti, Spanish almendrados, qurabiya (a shortbread biscuit made with almonds), and Turkish acıbadem kurabiyesi. In addition, Turkish şekerpare are often decorated with an almond.
What is almond cookie personality cookie run? ›
Almond Cookie is an Epic-grade Cookie that debuted on June 17, 2021, alongside his Pet, Constable Whiskers. He is a hardened workaholic detective who only has a soft spot for his daughter, his cat, and his coffee.
What is the famous cookie in China? ›
Traditional Chinese Cookies
- Crispy Dumplings (Kok Chai) 油角仔 Lilian. ...
- Piggy Pineapple Tarts. Lilian. ...
- Coconut Cookies 新年椰餅 Lilian. ...
- CNY Traditional 12 Leaf madeleine muffin tin kuih bahulu mould. Lilian. ...
- Bak Kwa Cookies 肉干曲奇 - Anncoo Journal. Lilian. ...
- Kueh Bahlu ~ Mini Chinese Sponge Cake. Lilian. ...
- Kok Chye / Peanut Puffs. Lilian.
If you use too much butter, the cookies will end up flat and greasy. And if you use too little flour, the amount of butter and sugar will be proportionally too high, meaning the cookies will spread for the aforementioned reasons.
What is the best selling cookie in China? ›
Davis says they saw sales of Oreos double in China, then double again, and again. Its now the best-selling cookie in China.
Are Chinese cookies healthy? ›
The edible portion of a fortune cookie contains approximately 20 calories in an 8-ounce serving, according to Panda Express. Although the calorie count is not huge, you also forgo consuming a healthy food — fortune cookies offer little to no nutritional value.
How long do Chinese cookies last? ›
How long do the Fortune Cookies stay fresh? Our Fortune Cookies are individually sealed in stay fresh foil wraps. Shelf life is 9 months. However the quicker they are consumed the fresher they will taste!
How old is an almond cookie? ›
Almond cookies were introduced to the U.S by southern Chinese immigrants in the 19th century. Some say the Chinese almond cookie is a Chinese-American adaptation of the Chinese walnut cookie known as Hup Toh Soh (核桃酥), which was invented in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty.
rated 0.0 of 5 stars. Elvis Presley had a knack for making people swoon, and so does the flavor combination in this thick, sturdy cookie. It seems so wrong yet tastes so right: bacon, peanuts, chocolate and banana chips. It's unforgettable.
What is almond dough called? ›
Marzipan, also known as almond candy dough, is a smooth and pliable confectionary paste made from almonds that can be used as a cake icing or molded into candies.
Does almond cookie have a kid? ›
Trivia. Almond Cookie is the father of Walnut Cookie, who is currently only playable in Cookie Run: OvenBreak and Cookie Run: Puzzle World.
Is White Lily Cookie a girl? ›
White Lily Cookie is a partially tall Cookie with pale brown dough and dark fuchsia eyes, with eyelashes underneath them. She has messy white hair with a long braid, both resembling upside-down white lilies. She wears a vine headband with a white lily and few leaves on her hair.
Is Strawberry Cookie Shy? ›
Strawberry Cookie has a shy and introverted personality, often pulling her hoodie's drawstrings in whenever she feels self-conscious. Strawberry Cookie likes to play games in her room and cook for herself, according to the Halloween Story.
What is Chinese almond jelly made of? ›
What is almond tofu or almond jelly? It's a Chinese dessert made with sweet apricot kernels or also known as Southern almond (南杏仁). The kernels are soaked and then blend until smooth. The “milk” is collected and the pulp can be used to make porridge, cakes, cookies, or bread.
What is Chinese almond? ›
First thing's first – they're actually not almonds per se, but instead apricot kernels, or xìng rén in the Chinese language*. They're also commonly known as Chinese Almonds, and for practical reasons we use this name as well.
How many calories are in Chinese almond cookies? ›
chinese almond cookies
| Nutrition Facts |
|---|
| For a Serving Size of 1 cookie |
| How many calories are in chinese almond cookies? Amount of calories in chinese almond cookies: Calories 180.6 | Calories from Fat 86.8 (48.1%) |
| % Daily Value * |
| How much fat is in chinese almond cookies? Amount of fat in chinese almond cookies: Total Fat 9.6g | - |
69 more rowsCombine shortening, almond butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Combine hot water, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl; stir into almond butter mixture until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat until blended.
