My family’s favorite cookies are these. They are easy to make, distinctive, and lovely. Making this dish for a cookie exchange is fantastic. Bring along your recipe—everyone will want a copy!
| Prep Time: | 10 mins |
| Cook Time: | 10 mins |
| Additional Time: | 10 mins |
| Total Time: | 30 mins |
| Servings: | 48 |
| Yield: | 4 dozen |
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and almond extract; mix until fluffy. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt; mix well.
- Divide dough into 4 pieces, and roll each one into a log about 12 inches long. Place 2 logs per cookie sheet 4 to 5 inches apart. Flatten each roll by hand until it is about 3 inches wide. Brush flattened roll with milk and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
- Bake in preheated oven 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. While the cookies are still warm, cut them crosswise at a diagonal, into slices about 1 inch wide. When cool, drizzle with almond icing.
- Almond icing: In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cookies.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 68 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 10 g |
| Cholesterol | 9 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1 g |
| Sodium | 48 mg |
| Sugars | 7 g |
| Fat | 3 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
I was pleasantly surprised by this recipe! By some of the other reviewers’ pictures, I was expecting a biscotti-like texture. But that was not the case at all! These came out very soft, much more like a cross between cookie and cake. I love the almond flavor. The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is because I have a favorite almond cookie recipe that is ever so slightly better. But this is a top one for sure! Would recommend.
I made the recipe exactly as written except I did double the extract as many suggested and they came out delicious. I made the frosting but didn’t use it because they were great without! Someone mentioned the dough being dry and they thought the 2 tablespoons of milk was meant for the dough but its not. If you use a room temp egg and softened butter, the dough comes together just like any sugar cookie dough. I will be making these again!
Used butter and milk substitutes, and they turned out really well. Big hit with the guests. Don’t know why the photo in the recipe shows them so browned. They are great as they come out of the oven pale.
I have made this for so many functions and they are always a hit. I followed the advice of others and doubled the almond extract in both the dough and the icing.
We loved this recipe once we caught the mistake in Step 2 of the directions. There’s no mention of the 2 Tablespoons of milk that go into the dough. Too dry without and if added after attempting to mix the dry into the wet the final product will be a bit over mixed. Also, doesn’t hurt to double almond extract.
It’s an odd recipe. The dough is very sticky, yet needs to be rolled. The only way I could figure out how to do this was to chill the dough first. I made this recipe twice. The first time the cookie rolls spread way more than I expected. The second time I made 2 narrower rolls and it still spread way more than I thought it would. They end up flat. I left them in the oven almost 18 minutes and neither time did they really get browned. They have a nice chew, they taste good. They need more almond extract and more almonds than the recipe calls for. Also they are already soft so I topped with cinnamon and sugar (and the almonds) rather than adding the wet icing. They are yummy.
Wow very good. Used advise about the additional egg and the parchment paper
Didn’t make any changes. I had problems rolling it out… but it turned out ok anyway. Mine doesn’t look as good as picture. It’s extremely sweet…. It’s good, but too sweet. Don’t know if I’ll make it again.
fairly easy, good
I made this exactly as indicated and the are sooo good! Would definitely make them again!
I made these incredible almond bars tonight and must say they were perfect. I did as others suggested and doubled the almond extract but next time I will only use 1.5 times or 3/4 tsp. One tsp was a bit too strong IMO. Here’s one major tip to greatly simplify the process! Forget rolling out 4 separate pieces of dough, instead press the entire batch into a 9×13 pan, brush the milk on and sprinkle the almonds. DONE!
Yub nub! (Ewokese from “Star Wars”) You can taste the almond flavour flowing through the cookie, Mmm! To reach that strength; however, I needed to be generous with more almond extract in both the icing and the cookie, otherwise, the main flavour lies dormant. Almonds and extract are what made this 5 stars! 🙂 I express my appreciation that I didn’t have leftovers of the icing, either. I know it is difficult to exact the proportions when publishing recipes, so either a baker has a surplus of leftover frosting or contrariwise. But there was comfortably enough for all the cookies and nothing more. (Of course, I flattened the dough thinly, thus there was much area)
Delicious! I added an additional 1/4 tsp almond extract to the bar dough and the frosting as another reviewer suggested because we love almond, and they were excellent. I added too much frosting on my first batch, they truly just need a light drizzle. Brought them to a dinner party and they were a huge hit! Thank you for posting the recipe!
very good, easy to make. Everyone loved these
This was so easy and it was DELICIOUS. I will make this for Christmas every year. I like to bake if it easy. Seems like the more complicated the recipe is the more I mess it up.
Delicious! I made this exactly as the recipe was written and wouldn’t change a thing! It’s a very nice change from the overly sweet Christmas cookies and very easy. It’s just as delicious without the icing.
These cookies are a traditional family favorite at Christmas.
so good
A Christmas staple now!
Excellent!! I was looking through recipes trying to find this type and when the Marji Stark name appeared (my maiden name and also had an aunt with this name) I knew this was the one. Texture 5 Ease 5 Flavor 5 + I also used it as a crust for a lemon curd …. Amazing! Thank you Marji!
These were DELICIOUS! I love them for any occasion, and make plenty to share at a party- although they won’t last long. My only suggestion in to use more sliced almonds.