• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Skip to content
Preppy Kitchen logo
  • About
    • Meet John Kanell
    • Press
  • Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Breads
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Casseroles
    • Instant Pot
    • Appetizers
    • Drinks
    • Holiday
  • Cookbook
  • Shop
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Press
  • All Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Follow us on

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Cookies » Lace Cookies

    Lace Cookies

    Published: November 17, 2021 · Modified: Nov 17, 2021 by John Kanell

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

    Made with only seven simple ingredients, these Lace Cookies come together quickly and easily. No special equipment is needed to make these cookies. Crispy, buttery, and stackable, these cookies make for a great gift during the holidays. The nutty and caramel flavors make these cookies hard to resist!

    A platter with multiple lace cookies in front of a plate with two cookies and coffee.
    154 shares
    • Share
    • Reddit
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pinterest graphic of a plate with a stack of lace cookies.
    Pinterest graphic of a platter of multiple lace cookies.
    Pinterest graphic of a plate of stacked lace cookies with one on the side.
    Pinterest graphic of multiple lace cookies on a cooling rack.
    Pinterest graphic of a plate with two lace cookies in front of a platter.

    These lace cookies are a holiday favorite as they’re thin and delicate, making them perfect for when you’re craving something sweet after a huge dinner. Lace cookies get their name from their delicate and lace-like appearance when the sugar bubbles and creates tiny little gaps in the cookies. They’re so simple to make as the cookie dough comes together in only a few minutes on the stovetop. No need to break out the mixer for these cookies! For another holiday cookie recipe, try my no-bake haystack cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies, or Snickerdoodles! 

    What You Need to Make This Recipe

    Ingredients needed to make lace cookies.

    Butter — I recommend using unsalted butter for this cookie recipe as the salt content in salted butter is inconsistent between various brands.

    Brown sugar — brown sugar adds a delicious molasses flavor to the cookies. If you don’t have any brown sugar, check out my post on how to make brown sugar.

    Corn syrup — standard corn syrup is not the same as high-fructose corn syrup. HFCS is sweeter than standard corn syrup, so make sure to check the label.

    Almond flour — almond flour allows the cookie to spread more, for the iconic lace cookies appearance, than if you use regular flour. It also adds a mild sweetness to the cookies.

    How to Make Lace Cookies

    Set of two photos showing ingredients added to a pan and melted together.

    1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt.

    2. Stir constantly until the mixture comes to a simmer, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

    Set of two photos showing flour added to the pot and the dough rolled into a ball.

    3. Stir in the almond flour, all-purpose flour, and vanilla. Let the mixture cool for 10 to 15 minutes or until it starts to thicken and is cool enough to handle.

    4. Scoop 1 teaspoon of batter and quickly roll into a ball in your palms. Place onto lined sheet pans. Bake one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, or until the cookies have spread very thin and have mostly stopped bubbling. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet until firm before transferring to a wire rack.

    A stack of lace cookies with one in front.

    Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

    • Keep a close eye on the lace cookies as they bake, especially near the end of the baking period. As the cookies are so thin, they’ll burn very quickly if you leave them in the oven for too long.
    • Use real vanilla extract instead of artificial extract for the best-tasting almond lace cookies.
    • Use real butter and not margarine, as margarine doesn’t brown and caramelize like real butter.
    • Make sure to line the baking sheets with just parchment paper. Do not use tin foil or grease your cookie sheet, as the cookies won’t come out thin and lacy.
    • Be sure to use almond flour instead of almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and won’t yield the same results.
    • Use a spatula to help transfer the cookies once cooled for minimum breakage.

    A platter filled with lace cookies with more around it.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are some variations?

    Here are a few variations to try on your lace cookies:

    • Drizzle some chocolate ganache or caramel over the cookies once they’ve cooled.
    • Sandwich Nutella or melted chocolate between two cookies to make a cookie sandwich.
    • Mix in orange extract or orange zest for a citrusy flavor.
    • Instead of vanilla extract, try almond extract to increase the almond flavors.

    How do I store these?

    Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week. Due to the texture of the cookies, keep them away from humidity, or they’ll lose their crispness. You can place parchment between the layers of cookies to keep them from sticking.

    Can I freeze them?

    These are delicate cookies, but you can freeze them. Carefully transfer them to a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 3 months. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving.

    If you love this recipe try these out!

    • Rosette Cookies

      Rosette Cookies

    • A photo of white chocolate peppermint cookies on a marble table surrounded by candy canes

      White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

    • A group of delicious almond biscotti on a porcelain serving tray next to a teacup.

      Biscotti

    • A plate with a pile of chocolate truffles with different coatings. A few in front.

      Chocolate Truffles

    • A plate with a hot chocolate cookies in front of a glass of milk.

      Hot Chocolate Cookies

    If you’ve tried this Lace Cookies recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

    A stack of lace cookies with a couple scattered around.
    Print
    5 from 11 votes

    Lace Cookies

    Elegant and delicate, these Lace Cookies come together quickly with a few simple kitchen staples. They're perfect for any occasion!
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 13 minutes
    Cool Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 53 minutes
    Servings 32 servings
    Calories 65kcal
    Author John Kanell

    Equipment

    • Saucepan
    • Baking Sheet

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup unsalted butter (113g)
    • ¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar (155g)
    • 1 tablespoon corn syrup
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¾ cup almond flour (75g)
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (22g)
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 to 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
    • In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Stir constantly until the mixture comes to a simmer, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
    • Stir in the flours and the vanilla. Let the mixture cool for 10 to 15 minutes or until it starts to thicken and is cool enough to handle. Scoop 1 teaspoon of batter and quickly roll into a ball in your palms. Place onto the prepared pans, separating each by about 3 inches. (I bake 5 cookies per baking sheet.) The dough will continue to get firm as it cools which is fine; there's no need to reheat it.
    • Bake one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, or until the cookies have spread very thin and have mostly stopped bubbling. (They should have darkened in color and be only slightly lighter in color at the center than the edge. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet until firm, 10 to 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

    Notes

    • Keep a close eye on the lace cookies as they bake, especially near the end of the baking period. As the cookies are so thin, they’ll burn very quickly if you leave them in the oven for too long.
    • Use real vanilla extract instead of artificial extract for the best-tasting almond lace cookies.
    • Use real butter and not margarine, as margarine doesn’t brown and caramelize like real butter.
    • Make sure to line the baking sheets with just parchment paper. Do not use tin foil or grease your cookie sheet, as the cookies won’t come out thin and lacy.
    • Be sure to use almond flour instead of almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and won’t yield the same results.
    • Use to spatula to help transfer the cookies once cooled for minimum breakage.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 9mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 89IU | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
    *Nutrition Disclaimer
    Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @preppykitchen and tag #preppykitchen!
    « Revolutionize Your Holiday Dessert Table
    Turtle Cheesecake »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Preppy Kitchen!

    Thanks for stopping by! I’m John Kanell, a husband, dad to twins Lachlan and George, Los Angeles native, and an avid baker and cooker of all things delicious thanks to a life long education from my mother. This blog is where I share all of my kitchen creations!

    Search

    Follow Us On

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Preppy Kitchen Newsletter

    Sign up to receive recipes, recommendations and tips straight to your inbox!

    Buy My Book

    Preppy Kitchen Cookbook

    As Seen On

    As seen on Elle Décor, People, Food Network and more

    Top recipes This Month

    • A stack of peanut butter cookies on a small wooden board

      Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

    • An Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookie next to a glass of milk

      Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

    • Lemon bars dusted with powdered sugar on a green and white plate.

      Lemon Bars

    • A group of pink macarons on a serving tray next to flowers

      Macaron Recipe

    • A photo of a vanilla cupcake on a cupcake stand with vanilla buttercream frosting beautifully piped on top.

      Buttercream Frosting

    • A plate with multiple cake pops on it with one with a bite taken out.

      Cake Pops

    • A group of shortbread cookies. some are stacked while others are on crumpled paper.

      Shortbread Cookies Recipe

    • A cake stand with a slice of red velvet cake cut out and placed on a plate in front.

      Red Velvet Cake

    • A slice of vanilla cake on a plate in front of the cake on a cake stand.

      Vanilla Cake Recipe

    • A slice of lemon cake on a plate in front of a cake stand holding the rest of the cake.

      Lemon Cake

    Footer

    As Seen On:

    Elle Décor, People, Country Living, Better Homes & Gardens, Food Network, Woman's Day, forkly, Yummly, the Bump, Buzz Feed, Home and Family and New York magazine.

    The Brand

    • About John
    • Press

    Preppy Kitchen Logo

    Dessert Recipes

    • Cakes
    • Cookies
    • Cupcakes
    • Pies
    • All Desserts

    Main Course Recipes

    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Casseroles
    • InstantPot
    • Soups
    • Salads

    COPYRIGHT © 2015–2023 PREPPY KITCHEN | PRIVACY POLICY

    154 shares