Chinese New Year Almond Cookies Recipes

CHINESE ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and extract. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. , Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with a fork. Sprinkle with almonds, pressing to adhere as needed. In a small bowl, beat egg white and water. Brush over cookies. , Bake until edges and bottoms are lightly browned, 14-16 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

CHINESE ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt together into a large bowl. Whisk any bits of almond flour left in the sifter into the sifted flour mixture.
• Combine the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the almond extract and 1 egg yolk and beat until the mixture is smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Reduce the speed to medium low, add the flour mixture and beat until no streaks of flour remain, about 2 minutes.
• Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• When ready to bake, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Whisk together the remaining egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Scoop the dough by tablespoons (you can use a 1/2-ounce ice cream scoop) and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Roll each scoop into a ball and return it to the baking sheet. Flatten each with your palm into a 2-inch round. Gently press an almond onto each and brush with the egg wash.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the cookies are golden brown on the edges, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 10 minutes.
• Store the cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

CHINESE RESTAURANT ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Sift flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together into a bowl. Cut in the lard until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add egg and almond extract. Mix well.
• Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Set them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Place an almond on top of each cookie and press down to flatten slightly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the edges of the cookies are golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.

CHINESE NEW YEAR ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, cream of tartar, salt and baking soda.
• Cream together the butter and sugar with a hand mixer. Blend in the beaten egg and almond extract. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix until the dough takes on a flaky, moist consistency. Gather the crumbly mixture together using your hands or a spatula.
• To make the topping, chop up the almonds (most easily done by hitting a few times with a mallet) and combine in a small bowl with the five-spice powder and brown sugar.
• To form the cookies, roll dough into 1 1/2-inch diameter balls between the palms of your hands. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten to about 1/2-inch thickness, lightly brush top with the egg wash and generously sprinkle with the topping. Bake for 11-12 minutes.

LUNAR NEW YEAR ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• With a whisk, mix together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, salt and baking powder by hand.
• Cream together the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. With the mixer on, add the egg and continue mixing until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla and almond extract and paddle to combine. With the mixer off, add the dry ingredients at once and paddle on low until combined. Scrape down the paddle and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.
• Shape the dough into 12 balls by hand or with a cookie scoop. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes or store frozen, wrapped well, for up to 2 weeks.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Space the dough balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake until the cookies begin to spread, 5 to 7 minutes. Top each cookie with an almond and continue to bake until golden brown on the edges, an additional 6 to 8 minutes. Cool and enjoy!

CHINESE NEW YEAR ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat together butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, almond extract and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, ground almonds and baking powder; add to butter mixture and stir to form stiff dough.
• Roll dough by tablespoonfuls (15 mL) into balls. Place, 2 inches (5 cm) apart, on greased or parchment paper?lined rimless baking sheet; top each with whole almond, pressing into dough. Mix egg yolk with 1 tsp (5 mL) water; brush over cookies.
• Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven until edges are light golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to rack; let cool completely. (Make-ahead: Layer between waxed paper in airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 weeks.).
• Canadian Living Magazine.

DOTTI'S CHINESE ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.
• Using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut the shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the almond extract and egg, and mix the dough together by hand. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, and knead a few times until the dough is smooth.
• Pinch off about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie, and roll into a ball about 3/4-inch in diameter. Place the balls onto the prepared baking sheets, and flatten each slightly. Press an almond into the center of each cookie.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are barely golden, about 12 minutes. Cool on racks.