Chinese Almond Cookies

Last Updated on 2025-10-13 by Team Ideas24

Chinese Almond Cookies
Cook Time 45 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter, at room temperature 
  • 1 cup sugar 
  • 1 large egg 
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 large egg yolk 
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1/3 cup blanched whole almonds 
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Instructions

Step 1
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add whole egg and almond extract and beat until well blended. Stir or beat in flour and baking powder until well blended. Cover bowl and chill until dough is firm, about 1 hour.
Step 2
Shape dough into 1-inch balls, flatten each slightly, and place each about 1 inch apart on buttered or cooking parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.
Step 3
In a small bowl, beat egg yolk with milk to blend. Brush cookies lightly with egg mixture; discard any remaining. Press an almond into the center of each cookie and sprinkle each with about 1/8 teaspoon sesame seeds.
Step 4
Bake cookies in a 325° oven until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.

Nutrition Information

Yield

48

Serving Size

1

Amount Per ServingCalories 86Total Fat 4.9gSaturated Fat 2.6gCholesterol 19mgSodium 52mgCarbohydrates 9.4gFiber 0.3gProtein 1.2g

Unlock Cookie Magic: The Science Behind Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dial in your dream texture with science-backed tweaks to chocolate chip cookies. Learn how sugars, fats, and leaveners impact chew, spread, and flavor so every batch bakes as you intend.

Sugar Ratios Shape Texture

Brown sugar’s molasses attracts moisture, yielding chewy centers and deeper caramel notes. white sugar encourages spread and crisp edges. For chewier chocolate chip cookies, use 60–80% brown sugar by weight. Prefer thinner, snappier cookies? 

Favor granulated. A tablespoon of honey or corn syrup enhances chew but can increase spread, which is offset by a brief chill. Reducing overall sugar tightens the structure. Add a tablespoon of butter or a splash of milk to maintain tenderness.

Butter Temperature and Browning Control Spread and Flavor

Softened butter traps air for lift and slightly domed tops. melted butter yields denser, fudgier cookies with uniform spread. Brown the butter for nutty toffee depth, then chill dough 30–60 minutes to counter extra spread. 

Warmer kitchens accelerate melting, flattening chocolate chip cookies, scoop first, then refrigerate scoops. Chilling also hydrates flour, improving chew and flavor. If cookies still overspread, increase flour by 1–2 tablespoons or bake on a cooler, light-colored sheet.

Eggs, Flour, and Leavening Set Structure

Egg whites add water and proteins for lift. Yolks contribute fat and emulsifiers for richness and chew. For sturdier chocolate chip cookies, use one whole egg plus an extra yolk. Bread flour’s higher protein creates more chew than all‑purpose. mixing the two balances tenderness and structure. Baking soda promotes spread and browning via alkalinity. Adding 1/4 teaspoon baking powder increases the rise for a cakier bite. Adjust one variable at a time to fine‑tune.

Upgrade Every Batch

From bold mix-ins to freezer-friendly dough, elevate chocolate chip cookies without fuss. Discover flavor upgrades, dietary swaps, and storage tactics that keep cookies tender, fresh, and ready whenever cravings hit.

Flavor Upgrades and Mix‑Ins

Chopped bar chocolate forms glossy puddles and irregular shards that melt luxuriously compared with uniform chips. Elevate chocolate chip cookies with flaky sea salt, toasted nuts, dried cherries, orange zest, or a pinch of espresso powder to deepen cocoa notes. 

For complex savoriness, whisk in a tablespoon of tahini or white miso. Browned butter plus vanilla bean seeds intensify caramel tones. Keep total mix‑ins near 1 to 1¼ cups to preserve structure.

Simple Dietary Swaps

Go dairy‑free by using plant‑based butter sticks (not tubs) or refined coconut oil, and dairy‑free chocolate. For egg‑free chocolate chip cookies, substitute 3 tablespoons aquafaba or a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water) per egg. 

For gluten‑free, use a 1:1 baking blend with xanthan gum and rest dough 30 minutes for hydration. Expect slightly different spread and crumb. fine‑tune with two minutes of chilling or 1 tablespoon extra flour.

Resting, Freezing, and Storage

Rest dough 12–36 hours in the fridge so flour hydrates and flavors concentrate, yielding richer, more complex chocolate chip cookies. Scoop first, then freeze on a tray. store in freezer bags up to three months. 

Bake from frozen, adding 1–3 minutes. Cool cookies completely before sealing to avoid condensation. For soft cookies, tuck a slice of bread in the container. for re‑crisping, warm at 300°F (150°C) for 3–5 minutes on a sheet.

Conclusion

Small levers make a big difference: sugar ratios, butter state, and leavening set your texture target. Thoughtful mix‑ins and smart resting, freezing, and storage streamline weeknight chocolate chip cookies. Change one variable at a time and take notes. With a few tests, you’ll lock in a house‑favorite recipe that bakes perfectly every time.We have more incredible cookie recipes. Check out our Chinese almond cookie recipe!

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