Chinese Almond Cookies
These classic Chinese Almond Cookies are crisp, crumbly, and deeply almond-forward—the kind of cookies that practically melt the moment you bite into them. If you’ve ever grabbed one from a Chinese bakery or dim sum spot, you already know the vibe: lightly sweet, sandy in texture, and topped with a whole almond for good luck.
What makes these cookies special:
These Chinese Almond Cookies are especially meaningful for Lunar New Year because almonds symbolize good fortune, prosperity, and longevity, making them a fitting treat to welcome a fresh start. Their round shape represents wholeness and unity, while the simple, golden cookies reflect warmth, abundance, and togetherness—everything the New Year is meant to celebrate. Served with tea and shared with family, they’re a quiet but powerful way to usher in luck for the year ahead. 🧧✨
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Crisp yet tender: Lightly crisp on the outside with a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth crumb inside—a classic Chinese bakery texture.
- Not overly sweet: Gently sweetened so the almond flavor shines, making them perfect with tea or coffee.
- Easy to make: A simple, one-bowl dough with no chilling or mixer required—just roll, top, and bake.
If you are looking for other Lunar New Year recipes, try my Paper-Wrapped Sponge Cakes, Taiwanese Castella Cake, and Black Sesame Shortbread Cookies.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Almond flour: Adds a rich almond flavor and creates the signature tender, crumbly texture.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure so the cookies hold their shape without being dense.
- Baking soda: Helps the cookies spread slightly and promotes light browning.
- Baking powder: Adds a gentle lift for a lighter, less compact crumb.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the almond flavor.
- Sugar: Sweetens the cookies while contributing to crisp edges.
- Vegetable oil: Creates a light, sandy texture that’s not too rich or buttery.
- Egg yolk (in the dough): Binds the ingredients and makes the dough tender.
- Egg yolk (for egg wash): Gives the cookies a glossy, golden finish.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out and softens the overall flavor.
- Almond extract: Intensifies the classic almondy bakery aroma and taste.
- Whole almonds: Add traditional presentation, texture, and a final hit of almond flavor.
How to make Chinese Almond Cookies:
(The full written and printable recipe is further below.)
Step #1) In a large mixing bowl, toss together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step #2) Add the egg yolk and the extracts. Slowly beat in the oil until everything is combined.
Step #3) Using a teaspoon or small cookie scoop, roll out 1″ round balls of dough. Gently press an almond into the middle of each cookie dough.
Step #4) Lightly brush each cookie with an egg yolk wash. Bake at 350F for 13-15 minutes or until lightly golden.
How to serve:
These cookies are best enjoyed slightly cooled or at room temperature, when their crisp edges and tender crumb really shine. Serve them with hot tea (jasmine, oolong, or green tea) or coffee for a classic bakery-style treat. They’re also perfect as part of a Lunar New Year cookie tray, wrapped in cellophane for gifting, or served alongside dim sum.
Storing & freezing instructions:
Storing – Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep them in a dry place—humidity will soften their crisp texture. If they lose a bit of crispness, you can refresh them in a 325°F oven for 3–4 minutes, then cool completely.
Freezing – Once they have completely cooled, freeze them in a single layer, then store them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Recipe FAQs:
You can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free 1:1 baking blend, but the texture will be slightly more delicate and crumbly.
Yes, but the cookies won’t have the same glossy, golden finish that’s traditional to Chinese almond cookies.
Yes, but using butter will make the cookies richer and slightly denser, while vegetable oil keeps them light and crumbly like traditional bakery-style cookies.
If you’ve tried this Chinese Almond Cookie Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Chinese Almond Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- about 18 whole almonds for topping
- 1 large egg yolk , lightly beaten for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.1/2 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar, pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda
- Add the egg yolk and extracts. Slowly beat in the oil until everything is combined.1 large egg yolk, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp almond extract, 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- Using a teaspoon or small cookie scoop, roll out 1″ round balls of dough.
- Gently press an almond in the middle of each cookie dough. Lightly brush each cookie with the remaining egg yolk.about 18 whole almonds for topping, 1 large egg yolk
- Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden on the bottom. Let cool on a wire rack before serving.
I hadn’t tried my hand at making Chinese almond cookies till today. My attraction to this recipe was that it’s a one bowl cookie recipe. No mixer or refrigeration required. I followed the recipe exactly as written except that I doubled it. When I had incorporated the liquid into the dry ingredients, I was surprised that it didn’t come together as a cookie dough. Very dry. Not wanting to waste the mixture, I asked my AI app how to correct the recipe. It suggested that I add a bit of milk to the mixture. I added 3 tablespoons of milk and viola a perfect cookie dough. I baked the cookies as directed. Shortening the time by 2 minutes, 11 minutes instead of 13 minutes. The cookies look like your picture. I hope this tweak helps others who are intrigued by your simply fantastic recipe for Chinese almond cookies. They are the bomb. One change I did make was I eliminated the vanilla preferring to use only almond extract.