These Almond Sprinkle Cookies are soft, buttery little pillows that practically melt in your mouth. They’re simple to prepare, taste delicious, and are perfect for holiday cookie trays. Use red and green sanding sugar for a festive touch, or choose other colors to suit the occasion.
Table of Contents
- How to Make the Recipe
- Chilling the Dough
- Helpful Baking Tools
- Almond Sprinkle Cookies Recipe
How to Make the Recipe
This almond sprinkle cookie dough comes together quickly and yields tender, buttery cookies. You’ll need all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, unsalted butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar, an egg, vanilla and almond extracts. The cream cheese is the key to the extra-soft texture.
For decorating, red and green sanding sugar creates a classic holiday look. If you prefer, use nonpareils or finish the cookies with a thin confectioners’ sugar glaze and sprinkle on decorations while the glaze is still wet.
Chilling the Dough
The dough should be chilled for at least one hour to make it easier to shape and to help the cookies hold their shape while baking. Cover the bowl tightly so the dough doesn’t dry out.
If you chill the dough longer or freeze it, allow it to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before scooping and shaping so it’s pliable enough to roll into balls.
Helpful Baking Tools
A few simple tools make this recipe easier: a stand mixer or hand mixer with a paddle attachment for creaming the butter and cream cheese, mixing bowls, a cookie scoop or small spoon to portion dough, parchment-lined baking sheets, a glass to gently flatten the cookies, and wire racks for cooling.
Almond Sprinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- Red and green sanding sugar or nonpareils, for rolling
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, and mix until combined.
- Stir in the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Adjust the oven rack to the second position.
- Scoop a small spoonful of dough and roll it into a ball. Roll each ball in red or green sanding sugar (or nonpareils), then place on the prepared baking sheet about 1 to 1½ inches apart. Gently flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes at 350°F, until just set. Remove from the oven and let cookies rest on the baking sheet about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Placing a slice of bread in the container can help keep them soft.
Video
Notes
- You can substitute nonpareils for sanding sugar if you prefer—have fun with the colors.
- To freeze the dough: roll into balls, flatten slightly, and freeze on a parchment-lined sheet until solid. Transfer to an airtight container for up to 3 months. When baking from frozen, you may need to add 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
- Nutritional values are estimates and will vary depending on specific ingredients used.
Nutrition
Calories: 113 kcal | Carbohydrates: 14 g | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 6 g | Sugar: 6 g
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients and portion sizes.