Before I say anything, let me just say that I’m not liking the weather these days. Great it’s fall and it’s beautiful but not when it rains nonstop, also it’s getting dark at 4:30 PM and that annoys me a lot. Like a LOT. I love sunshine and I am already missing it even though I know this is going to be the same for next 4-5 months. As I write this, I can see only rain and grey sky outside my window and also a big traffic jam. Arghhh. Anyway rant over and now let’s talk about cookies because cookies always make you feel better, no matter what!
One of the great things about the festive season is the treats that you get to eat and one of my favorite treats is cookies. This weekend when I went grocery shopping, I saw lots and lots of cookies in stores, European cookies, butter cookies, ginger cookies to name a few and that inspired me to bake these little cuties! I love almond cookies and the Indian style buttery and crunchy almond cookies are one of my favorites. We call them badam biscuits [badam=almond and biscuit=cookies]. If I was to describe their taste in American context I would say they are similar in flavor to shortbread cookies.
These cookies are egg free because in India we do not not associate cookies with eggs, not the one we eat everyday with our chai. They are all always eggless.
The ingredient list is pretty simple – flour, almond flour, almond extract, sugar and butter. I have used salted butter for these cookies and I believe it works best for this recipe. You can use unsalted butter but then you will need to add little salt in the dough. I know almond flour is not readily available in India like it is here but you can easily make your own at home by grinding silvered almonds.
You can tie them in a treat bag and gift them to your friends. I think they will make a cute gift! Won’t they? 🙂
Method
In the steel bowl of your stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or using your hand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed till creamy. This will take 2-3 minutes.
Add the sugar and beat the mixture till it’s smooth and creamy. Also add the almond extract.
Now with the mixer running at low speed add the all purpose flour and almond flour slowly in parts. Also add the cardamom powder (if using).
It will all come together as a dough and you will know it’s done when the dough sticks to the paddle attachment.
Shape the dough in form of a disc and wrap it with a cling. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes and in the meanwhile preheat your oven to 350 F degrees.
Take out the dough from the refrigerator after 10 minutes. Sprinkle some flour on a flat surface and roll the dough using a rolling pin to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut into different shapes using cookie cutter. I cut them into round big cookies and got 13 pieces.
Place the cookies onto a pan lined with silicone mat or parchment paper. Decorate them with whole or sliced almonds.
Bake at 350 F degrees for 20-22 minutes.
Take them out of the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy these crispy almond cookies with a cup of chai or coffee.
* Store cooled cookies in an airtight container. They should stay good for weeks.
* Room temperature butter should not be too soft. Keep it outside the refrigerator for 30 minutes. When you press the butter with your finger you should be able to see an impression on it [but it should still be firm] that’s the right temperature for you to use the butter in your cookies.
* Using cardamom powder is optional. I did not use it.
Almond Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup salted butter [1 stick] at room temperature
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder [optional]
- some almonds sliced & whole for decorating
Instructions
- In the steel bowl of your stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or using your hand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed till creamy.
- Add the sugar and beat the mixture till it's smooth and creamy. Also add the almond extract.
- Now with the mixer running at slow speed add the all purpose flour and almond flour slowly in parts. Also add the cardamom powder (if using).
- Mix till it comes together as dough and sticks to the paddle attachment.
- Shape the dough in form of a disc and wrap it with a cling. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes and in the meanwhile preheat your oven to 350 F degrees.
- Take out the dough from the refrigerator after 10 minutes. Sprinkle some flour on a flat surface and roll the dough using a rolling pin to 1/4 inch thickness.
- Cut into different shapes using cookie cutter.
- Place the cookies onto a baking pan lined with silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Decorate the cookies with whole or sliced almonds.
- Bake at 350 F degrees for 20-22 minutes.
- Take them out of the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy crispy almond cookies with coffee or tea.
Nutrition
Eggless Almond Cookies
Hi Manali!
These cookies looked so good I decided to make them asap! I did nothing different but still got really flattened out, edges burned cookies. What did I do wrong? I added saffron and cardamom to mine and its so beautifully fragrant! They still taste great but look bad. I have another batch of dough in the fridge. Anything I can try to fix it?
Thank you!
Hello Vandana! Sorry to hear about the cookies! Did you put any leavening agent [baking powder or soda] into this dough? These cookies do not need one. Second did you cut them out too thin. Make sure when you cut the dough thick with your cookie cutter. Too thin and the cookies will flatten in the oven. Hope the next batch will be okay 🙂 Good luck!
That’s really a crunchy cookie.Def a great treat for this holiday season.I am going to use almonds instead of almond flour and i am using wheat flour instead of regular flour ..Will this work manali ?i mean taste good or very different ?
Sathya… It might make some difference to the taste but it would still be good I guess…let me know how it turns out!
wow, your almond cookies look absolutely perfect and I bet they taste even better, thanks for sharing, pinned:)
Thanks for the pin Lily!
Beautiful, I love the addition of cardamom!
Thanks Emma!
The getting dark super early doesn’t sit well with me either. This almond cookies on the other hand do! They look like the perfect holiday cookie! Pinned 🙂
Thanks for the pin Ceara! 🙂
I hate that it gets dark earlier now too but I think the pics are gorgeous! Love these almond cookies, they look so pretty!
Thank you Kelly! Though I’m happy today, it’s sunny! YAY!
These cookies look delicious! I can’t wait to try them!!!
Thanks Olivia!
I don’t think any of these would make it into the treat bag for my friends! These are my kind of crispy cookies! Love almonds. These look perfect, Manali! Pinned!
Thanks for the pin Lindsey! Haha it wouldn’t make it to the treat bag for my friends either! we and hubby are going to finish it all!
These cookies are so cute with the almonds and the slivers! I love how they’re decorated! The photos are gorgeous too! They sound amazing and I could totally go for a couple right now.
I knoooow… it’s so weird with it getting dark at like 5:15pm, isn’t it? It’ll be 2 in the afternoon and it feels sooooo late!!! Not a fan. Haha!
Thanks Sarah! 🙂 I know it’s getting dark pretty early these days and it days are going to get even more shorter…I like long days with sunshine, guess will have to wait 4-5 months for that now!
The weather hasn’t been cooperating with my plans lately either. 😉 Booo to November weather!! But these cookies? I think they can turn that mood around—these are seriously gorgeous, Manali! Love that pretty almond design on top.
Ahh I Know, the weather is really annoying. Glad you like the cookies Sarah, they always cheer you up!