These Chinese almond cookies are way better than any restaurant cookie. Flaky-crumbly, yummy, and impossible to resist.
Chinese Almond Cookies
Updated 20 Dec 2009
Originally posted 14 March 2007
The first time I ever had these almond cookies was when I received them as a favor for my bridal shower. They were so delicious I literally inhaled those cookies! Aunty Charlene (sister to Aunty Marlene, who gave me that wonderful banana muffin recipe) told me that she got the recipe from her dad a long time ago. Thankfully, she was willing to share her recipe with me and since that time, I’ve made it for countless occasions. I even use them as favors at my kids’ birthday parties now (talk about coming full circle!).
Catching Up
It was through one of these birthday parties that our good friend J and her kids got to try my almond cookies. She has been asking me for the recipe for a long while and I kept meaning to put it up but somehow just never got around to it. The good news is we actually got to bake these almond cookies with J’s kids before we left San Jose. So even though that was a few months’ back and I still had not posted the recipe, at least she got a hard copy of it. (Sorry J for taking so long!)
This almond cookie recipe is very kid-friendly! You basically dump all the ingredients into your mixer, mix till you get a dough, roll them into balls and press down the center with some food coloring. Bake, and tadah! Beautiful cookies.
Beautiful, Chinese Almond Cookies
What I love about this almond cookie is how flaky and yummy they are. The other almond cookie recipe we posted recently is also wonderful but they are chewy and quite sweet. This one is a Chinese Almond Cookie so if you have Asian tastebuds like me and like to have your sweets, well…less sweet, this is the cookie for you. Also, if you’re Chinese (read: pake) like me, this one is the cheaper cookie to bake up. Tee hee! ^_^
And here is the most amazing thing—even though this is an Almond cookie, you don’t actually need to put any almonds in it at all. If you use imitation almond essence (I can’t believe I’m saying this), for all the nut-allergy people in your midst, this could be totally friendly for them. I have a friend who is deathly allergic to nuts and I’ve served him this cookie with no problems (when I use that “fake” almond flavoring).
Of course, if you don’t have any allergy issues, I’d say go with the real almond extract and substitute some of the flour with almond meal. That would kick up the almond flavor big time.
Pure Almond Extract
Either ways, you can’t really go wrong. The cookie is super delicious and crumbly in texture. It reminds me of another Chinese cookie known as Hup Toh Soh (maybe it’s even the same one and this is just the name it’s known as here in Malaysia).
Try this Chinese almond cookie recipe and let me know if you can stop at just one. I’ve never been able to eat just one at a go. It’s that good.
Chinese Almond Cookie Recipe
makes about 5 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Crisco shortening (Crisco really is the best brand for this but if you cannot find it, just any shortening will do, and don’t substitute with butter or you will not get the texture right)
1 cup vegetable oil (I use canola but any vegetable oil will do)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
2. Sift flour, salt and baking soda (sometimes I get lazy and don’t do this step but it does help the cookie bake up better).
3. Combine all the ingredients and mix till it forms a dough.
4. Roll the dough into balls about the size of large marbles
5. Place them on cookie sheets about one and a half inches apart.
6. Indent the center of the cookie using the back of a chopstick that has been dipped into red food coloring. Press down about halfway through the thickness of the cookie. Alternately, you can put a half slice of almond in the center in place of the red food coloring.
Chinese Almond Cookies Ready to Bake
7. Bake 10-15 minutes till the cookies are just lightly golden brown around the edges.
8. Transfer to wire rack and cool.
Chinese Almond Cookies Ready to Eat
Enjoy!
Cheers, Annie
What cookies are you baking up this holiday season? Leave a comment and tell us about it!
FAQs
Ingredients in Chinese Almond Cookies
Almond flour, almond extract, and slivered almonds ensure that you get an intense flavor that will eclipse any paper-filled treat. Set out a plate of these for the upcoming Chinese New Year. Almond cookies symbolize coins and will be sure to bring you good fortune.
Why do Chinese restaurants have almond cookies? ›
Almond cookies are a traditional Chinese treat, and they symbolize prosperity and good luck, two things we could all use this year.
When were Chinese almond cookies invented? ›
Like chop suey and fortune cookies, it appears to have originated after the first wave of Chinese immigration to the U.S. in he mid-1800s. There is no record of almond cookies prior to the early 1900s.
What is a Chinese cookie? ›
Jewish almond cookie, also known as a Chinese cookie, is a popular Jewish cookie made with almonds and commonly served at Jewish delis and eateries.
What is the famous cookie in China? ›
Kueh Bangkit. Kueh bangkit is a traditional cookie, originally made in the past in China as an offering to one's ancestors. It is called kueh bangkit because the batter will rise during the baking process and the word for “rise” in Malay is bangkit, hence its name.
What is the Chinese name for almond cookies? ›
A Chinese almond biscuit or Chinese almond cookie (Chinese: 杏仁餅) is a type of Chinese pastry that is made with ground mung bean.
What are those Chinese cookies called? ›
A fortune cookie is a crisp and sugary cookie wafer made from flour, sugar, vanilla, and sesame seed oil with a piece of paper inside, a "fortune", an aphorism, or a vague prophecy.
What is the other name of almond cookie? ›
Types of almond biscuits include almond macaroons, Italian amaretti, Spanish almendrados, qurabiya (a shortbread biscuit made with almonds), and Turkish acıbadem kurabiyesi.
What do almonds symbolize in China? ›
For the Chinese, it is feminine beauty, fortitude in sorrow, watchfulness. In the Christian tradition, the almond signifies divine favour and approval, and the purity of the Virgin.
What is the oldest cookie in the world? ›
Pizzelles are the oldest known cookie and originated in the mid-section of Italy. They were made many years ago for the “Festival of the Snakes” also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico”.
It wasn't until very recently, around 1938, that chocolate chip cookies were first invented. Unlike a lot of other things, the chocolate chip cookie was not invented by accident. During the 1930s, a chef named Ruth Graves Wakefield decided to give something different to her customers.
What cookie was invented in 1912? ›
On this day in 1912, Oreo cookies were first developed and produced by Nabisco in New York City. It's time to celebrate the iconic crunchy chocolate sandwich cookie with the sweet vanilla cream filling that Americans have enjoyed for over one hundred years. March 6th is National Oreo Cookie Day!
What are grandma cookies? ›
Grandma's cookies offer a delicious variety of homemade memories. With flavors like chocolate, peanut butter and lemon pie, every Grandma's treat is baked with love.
What is the best selling cookie in China? ›
Oreo launched a series of TV ads where cute children demonstrate to their parents and other adults how to eat an Oreo cookie in the American style. Davis says they saw sales of Oreos double in China, then double again, and again. Its now the best-selling cookie in China.
Are Chinese cookies healthy? ›
Although the calorie count is not huge, you also forgo consuming a healthy food — fortune cookies offer little to no nutritional value.
What are Chinese fortune cookies made of? ›
A fortune cookie is a crisp and sugary cookie wafer made from flour, sugar, vanilla, and sesame seed oil with a piece of paper inside, a "fortune", an aphorism, or a vague prophecy. The message inside may also include a Chinese phrase with translation and/or a list of lucky numbers used by some as lottery numbers.
What is almond butter cookies made of? ›
Mix all-purpose flour, almonds, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a large bowl until well blended. Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Where is almond cookie from? ›
Some say the Chinese almond cookie is a Chinese-American adaptation of the Chinese walnut cookie known as Hup Toh Soh (核桃酥), which was invented in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty. Our favorite place to get homemade almond cookies is Golden Fung Wong Bakery!
What is Chinese almond good for? ›
Chinese Almond, also known as 'Apricot Kernel' is a source of protein and widely used in traditional Chinese medicine to improve respiratory health – reduce coughing and the build-up of phlegm.
