Almond Sand Dollar Cookies are crunchy, buttery treats that resemble the sand dollars found at the beach. A few sliced almonds and cutout holes are an easy way to decorate these almond cookies. These almond-flavored cookies are delicious and perfect for enjoying with a cup of tea or coffee. They are a delightful treats to share with friends and family, ideal for themed parties, or for bringing a taste of the beach to any occasion.
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These easy almond cookies come together with just 6 simple ingredients you probably have in your pantry. They require minimal effort since they can be prepared in the food processor, no need for extra bowls or mess. They bake up into the perfect shape, slightly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Last winter, my husband and I escaped the cold Canadian weather by visiting beautiful Florida. Despite the mornings being a bit chilly in early February, we loved strolling along the beach and collecting shells. Truth be told, my husband had better luck finding these treasures than I did. We were mesmerized by the variety of beautiful shells in different shapes and kinds, especially discovering unique, stunning sand dollar shells for the first time. To preserve those special memories, I created this recipe for Almond Sand Dollar Cookies. Whenever I bake them, it brings back the wonderful times we had on our vacation, reminding us of the beauty and tranquility of our beach getaway!
If you can’t make it to the seaside, you can still bring a taste of the beach to your cookie jar with almond sand dollar cookies. These light, crunchy homemade cookies are guaranteed to bring smiles with their simple yet beautiful appearance and delicious almond flavor!
INGREDIENTS FOR ALMOND SAND DOLLAR COOKIES
- Flour: All purpose flour is what is used here.
- Butter: Unsalted and cold, cut into small cubes.
- Sugar: Sugar helps give these almond cookies a nice snap.
- Egg: A single large egg helps the dough bind together.
- Almond Extract: Simple way to boost the almond flavour of the cookies.
- Sliced Almonds: For decorating almond sand dollar cookies.
ALMOND COOKIE METHOD
The full printable instructions for how to make Almond Sand Dollar Cookies are included in the recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the process.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: Cream the butter and sugar well, for at least 2-3 minutes, scraping down the bowl a couple times.
- Add the egg and almond extract: Add the egg, almond extract to butter mixture and mix until smooth about 1-2 minutes.
- Incorporate the flour: Blend in the flour until the dough comes together and there is no dry flour left. It will be soft and sticky.
- Chill the dough: Divide the into two parts, flat into disk and wrap in plastic wrap, smoothing out the surface as you wrap it. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour to firm up.
- Prepare the dough for cutting: Roll out the dough to 1/4 in thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut out the cookies: Cut into rounds with a small 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter and place on a parchment lined baking sheet, one inch apart.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
RECIPE TIP – Chill the dough: Divide the into two parts, flat into disk and wrap in plastic wrap, smoothing out the surface as you wrap it. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour to firm up. You might need to leave the dough come back to room temperature for a couple of minutes if it seems to crack when you roll out the dough. If the dough gets too soft, place back in the fridge for a few minutes.
MORE COOKIE RECIPES TO BAKE
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies
- Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies
- Kolaczki Polish Cookies
- Orange Sugar Cookies
- Citrus Curd Linzer Cookies
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HOW TO STORE FREEZE AND THAW
- Store: These Almond Sand Dollar Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge.
- Freeze Baked Cookies: Make sure the almond sand dollar cookies are completely cooled to room temperature. You can also make them in advance and freeze them for up to 3 months if preferred. First, let them cool down completely then place them in a freezer friendly container in flat layers separated by baking paper so that they don’t sick together.
- Thaw: Leave them to thaw at room temperature for a few hours when ready to eat or defrost in the fridge overnight.
FAQs
- What to do if the dough is too soft to handle?
The dough will quickly come back to room temperature and you might struggle to handle it / transfer the cookies over the baking tray. Simply place the dough back in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up.
- Do I need baking powder for Almond Sand Dollar Cookies?
For this cookie recipe, we are not using baking powder. If you use baking powder, your cookies will rise too much in the oven and lose their shape.
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Happy Baking! -A
**Nutritional facts are just estimates. This information comes from online calculators. Although The Tasty Chapter attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
ALMOND SAND DOLLAR COOKIES
Equipment
- Handheld or a Stand Mixer
- Baking sheet
- 2 1/2 Cookie Cutter
- Parchment paper
- Plastic Drinking Straws
- Toothpick
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 200 g unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Decorations:
- 190 pieces sliced almonds (about 1 cup)
Instructions
- In a bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg and almond extract to the butter and sugar mixture and beat on high speed until very smooth, about 1-2 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
- Gradually add the flour and beat on low speed until combined, and the dough forms a ball. The dough will be slightly soft.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Form the soft dough into a flat disks and wrap in plastic wrap, smoothing out the surface as you wrap it.
- Place the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour to firm up.
- Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Working with one half of the dough at a time, place one portion on a piece of lightly floured parchment paper or a lightly floured silicone baking mat. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Add more flour if the dough seems too sticky. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly 1/4-inch thick. If your dough is super cold it will soften as it sits at room temperature.
- Using a 2 ½-inch circle cookie cutter, cut out the dough into shapes. Place the circles 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. If your dough has warmed up you may want to chill the cookies for 10 minutes before baking. Repeat with the second piece of dough. (Note: It might not seem like a lot of dough, but you'll get plenty of cookies from the scraps when you re-roll them.)
- Place 5 almond slices in the center of each cookie and press gently into the dough. Use a plastic straw as a cookie cutter. Squeeze the end of the straw lightly to create an oval shape, then press the bottom of the straw into the dough to make a hole between the almonds. To remove the dough cutout from the straw, insert a toothpick into the straw.
- Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the baking sheet halfway through the baking time (Bake the cookies in batches, 1 tray at a time.)
- Remove them from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Re-roll and chill any leftover dough and repeat the process until all the cookie dough has been baked.