This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

These light and delicate almond cookies MELT in your mouth with a big, wonderful note of almond and just the right hit of salt to balance the lightly sweet flavor.

Almond cookies topped with two almond slivers and an almond glaze.

I LOVE almond everything but so many cookies disappoint! Too dense, not almondy enough, too crumbly and dry, etc, etc. I worked on this recipe until the cookies were PERFECT; light, melt in your mouth, go perfect with afternoon tea, lots of almond flavor and little crunchiness from the almond slivers and almond glaze. 

How to Make Almond Cookies

Dry ingredients getting sifted into a bowl to make almond cookies.

1. Measure your almond flour out, preferably using a scale but you can also fluff the flour and spoon into your measuring cup.

2. Sift the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder and almond flour into a bowl then whisk together and set aside.

Butter and powdered sugar getting mixed to make almond cookie dough.

3. Cream the room temperature butter then beat in the almond extract and powdered sugar in your mixing bowl. 

4. Scrape the bowl down and mix until homogenous.

The flour mixture getting beaten into butter and sugar for almond cookies.

5. Add in the dry mixture and beat until combined.

6. Scrape the bowl down then use a spatula to finish mixing in any stray bits of butter or flour. Cover with plastic and chill.

Almond cookies getting rolled and topped with almond slices.

7. Heat oven to 400F and portion out about two tablespoon sized pieces of dough then roll into balls in the palms of your clean hands.

8. Place about two inches apart on a parchment paper or silicon-lined cookie sheet and press town slightly then place two sliced or blanched almonds on top. Bake at 400F for about 8 minutes then allow to cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.

Almond cookies getting drizzled with almond glaze.

9. Add the powdered sugar to a bowl then drizzle in the water and almond extract. Whisk together until incorporated. You can sprinkle in more water if needed for a thinner consistency. 

10. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies. you can use your whisk or transfer the glaze to a piping bag and snip the tip off. 

Almond cookies on a wire cooling rack.

These cookies are great without the glaze btw!

Pro Tips for the Best Almond Cookies

  • Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
  • The cookie dough can be made well in advance. It keeps for about a week in the fridge and a month in the freezer. Make sure to wrap very well and defrost before portioning out.
  • Almond flour and almond meal are essentially the same thing and both will work in this recipe.
  • If your butter isn’t room temp just cut the sticks into a few slices and microwave on 50% power in 5 second bursts. Flip the butter with every burst.
  • Cover the cookies with more almond slices for extra crunch and almond flavoring.
  • Amaretto added to the glaze in place of the water and almond extract is pretty tasty, just putting that out there 🙂

Almond cookies drizzled with glaze on a copper cooling rack

Frequently Asked Questions

I like using amaretto if I’m out of almond extract but in a pinch you can swap in twice as much vanilla extract for a delicious cookie with a different flavor.

Do you need to sift dry ingredients?

It’s not absolutely necessary but it’s always a good idea. Certain ingredients like ground almonds tend to clump up and that’s never good when baking. If you’re not sifting then at least make sure to break up the lumps in your ground almonds and whisk together well.  

If you’ve tried this almond cookie recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! 

Almond Cookies

Author: John Kanell
Servings: 16 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Print Recipe
Two almond cookies covered in a drizzle of almond glaze next to a glass of milk.
4.98 from 91 votes
This simple and satisfying, melt in your mouth almond cookies recipe you'll quite likely find irresistible!

Ingredients 

For the Cookies

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 120g
  • 1/2 cup almond flour 60g
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 10 tbsp unsalted butter unsalted butter, at room temperature 142g
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar +3tbsp
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds

For the Glaze

  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp almond extract

Instructions

  • Sift the flour, corn starch, salt, baking powder, and almond flour into a bowl then whisk together and set aside.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and almond extract until creamed.
  • Add confectioners sugar; mix until combined.
  • Scrape bowl down and add flour mixture while beating on low. Scrape bowl once more and mix until combined.
  • Wrap in plastic and chill for 20-30 minutes.
  • Preheat to 400 degrees.
  • Use an cookie scoop to portion out 2 tablespoon sized dollops. Roll in your clean hands, place on parchment or silicon lined baking sheet then press down slightly and top with two almond slivers.
  • Bake for about 8 minutes, the cookies will have just begun to brown at the edge when ready.
  • Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.
  • Add about 2/3 cup of powdered sugar to a bowl then drizzle in 1 tbsp water and one and a half teaspoons of almond extract. whisk together and add a few drops of water if needed for a thinner consistency.
  • Drizzle over the cooled cookies and enjoy!

Notes

  • The cookie dough can be made well in advance. It keeps for about a week in the fridge and a month in the freezer. Make sure to wrap very well and defrost before portioning out.
  • If your butter isn't room temp just cut the sticks into a few slices and microwave on 50% power in 5 second bursts. Flip the butter with every burst.
  • Cover the cookies with more almond slices for extra crunch and flavor.
  • Amaretto added to the glaze in place of the water and almond extract is pretty tasty, just putting that out there 🙂

Nutrition

Serving: 31g Calories: 168kcal Carbohydrates: 18.3g Protein: 1.6g Fat: 9.8g Saturated Fat: 2.9g Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.5g Monounsaturated Fat: 2.6g Cholesterol: 13.6mg Sodium: 109mg Potassium: 27mg Fiber: 0.6g Sugar: 7g Vitamin A: 160IU Calcium: 5mg Iron: 0.4mg

*Nutrition Disclaimer

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British, Scottish

Have you tried this recipe? Tag me today!

Mention @preppykitchen and tag #preppykitchen!