Soft & Chewy Almond Sugar Cookies
These Almond Sugar Cookies are insanely addictive and so simple to prepare - no rolling pins, chilling dough or cookie cutters required! This easy drop cookie recipe turns out thick, slightly chewy, melt-in-your-mouth, ultra soft sugar cookies with the perfect amount of complex almond flavor! These soft and chewy sugar cookies are delicious dipped in icing or just as fabulous served plain! They will quickly become a family favorite you make over and over again!Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.
Servings: 30 Cookies
Calories: 168kcal
Equipment
- Mixing bowls (2)
- Hand-held or Stand Mixer
- Cookie Sheet
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ Cup All-Purpose Flour – spooned & leveled (328 grams) (SEE NOTES)
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ¾ tsp Cream of Tartar
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter – softened to room temperature
- 1 ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar – plus more for rolling cookies (SEE NOTES)
- 1 large Egg + 1 Large Egg Yolk – at room temperature
- 2 tsp Almond Extract (SEE NOTES)
Almond Glaze:
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar - leveled & sifted
- 3 TBS Milk, Cream or Half-and-Half
- 2 TBS Light Corn Syrup (SEE NOTES)
- ½ tsp Almond Extract
- Sliced Almonds – optional for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set cookie sheets aside.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cream or tartar and salt. Whisk well to combine.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a large bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy and light in color, about 1-2 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk and almond extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. NOTE: Use a spatula to stop and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed while making the dough.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet: With the mixer on low, slowly add ½ of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just barely combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Add the remaining ½ of the dry ingredients and mix on low until ALMOST combined. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold until the ingredients are JUST combined to form a cohesive ball. The dough should be thick and sticky. DO NOT over-mix! (Optional: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days)
- Roll cookies: Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of granulated sugar to a small bowl. Use a cookie scoop (or your hands) to roll the cookie dough into balls (about 1 ½ tablespoons each). Gently roll each ball in the sugar. Transfer the cookie dough balls to the prepared cookie sheets and arrange them 3-inches apart.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 8-11 minutes. The cookies will be puffy, and the centers will look soft. Remove the cookies just before the edges turn golden brown - don’t over bake the cookies!
- Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and place the cookie sheet on a wire rack. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies from the baking sheet to the wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the icing (optional): In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup and extract. Whisk until well combined. If the icing is too thick, add more milk, a splash at a time, until desired consistency is achieved. (You want the icing to be thick enough that it slightly holds its shape when drizzled.)
- Ice the cookies: Once the cookies are completely cooled, dip the top surface of each cookie into the glaze, pulling the cookie straight up and out of the glaze. Transfer each glazed cookie, icing side up on the wire cooling rack. Top each cookie with a few sliced almonds.
- Serve: Serve and enjoy! For hard icing and stackable cookies, let the icing set completely – set the cookies aside for a few hours at room temperature, or until the icing is hard to the touch. Stack and store or enjoy!
Notes
- Flour: Make sure you properly measure and level all your ingredients, especially the flour! To do so, use a spoon to scoop the flour into a measuring cup. Do not pack the flour down. Use the flat edge of a knife to gently and evenly level the flour.
- Almond Extract: Use pure almond extract for the best flavor! If you like a strong almond flavor, use the full 2 teaspoons in the dough. For a more muted flavor, use 1 1/2 teaspoons of extract.
- Sugar for Rolling Cookies: You can use granulated sugar or sanding sugar for rolling the cookie dough balls.
- Light Corn Syrup: Light corn syrup is NOT the same thing as high fructose corn syrup! Corn syrup helps the icing set up firm (so you can stack the cookies); however, you can skip the syrup if desired - please note that your icing will be less shiny and won't set.
Nutrition
Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 86mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg