Exquisite Almond Sugar Cookies: The Ultimate No-Spread Cut-Out Recipe

Discover the joy of baking crisp, buttery almond sugar cookies, crafted with premium almond meal and infused with fragrant almond extract and fresh orange zest. This remarkably easy cut-out cookie recipe guarantees perfect shapes every time and boasts exceptional storage qualities, making it ideal for any occasion.

A Cherished Family Tradition: The Joy of Baking and Decorating

For my family and me, classic sugar cookies evoke cherished memories spanning many years. My sisters and I (well, mostly one sister and I, as the other lacked the necessary patience!) would embark on ambitious baking marathons in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Our kitchen would transform into a festive hub, filled with holiday music, the aroma of fresh baking, and hours of joyful decorating. We meticulously packaged our creations, ready to share with our extended family. It remains one of my most treasured family traditions.

While life’s demands make it challenging to host those marathon cookie-baking sessions with my family these days, the spirit of this tradition continues to resonate deeply. It’s an activity I eagerly anticipate continuing in the years to come, perhaps with a new generation joining in the fun. The act of baking and decorating these cookies creates not just delicious treats, but lasting memories and a tangible connection to the past.

I’ve personally baked countless batches of these almond sugar cookies in recent months, sharing them generously with everyone in my life. One of the many reasons I gravitate towards these almond sugar cookies over other festive treats is their incredible versatility: they are a true blank canvas. You can choose to decorate them with elegant simplicity, allowing their inherent beauty and flavor to shine, or you can go all out with an array of decorating sugar, edible pearls, and colorful nonpareils. And, for those who appreciate understated elegance, they taste absolutely phenomenal even “naked,” without any frosting at all.

For some inexplicable reason, I find the process of decorating sugar cookies profoundly relaxing. I’m not entirely sure what that reveals about my personality, but it provides a wonderful opportunity to zone out and engage in a form of edible art. There’s something immensely satisfying about transforming simple dough into beautiful, delicious creations. I’m completely captivated by it!

The Secret to Irresistible Almond Sugar Cookies: Ingredient Spotlight

The exceptional flavor of these almond sugar cookies stems from a careful selection of high-quality ingredients. We start with rich, high-quality butter, combine it with the unique depth of almond flour, and enhance it further with pure almond and vanilla extracts. The pièce de résistance is the fresh orange zest, meticulously rubbed into the dry granulated sugar. This technique releases the vibrant citrus oils, infusing every bite with a bright, aromatic note without overpowering the delicate almond essence. While lemon zest can certainly be used as an alternative, the pairing of almond and orange creates a truly harmonious and unforgettable flavor combination.

The Magic of Almond Flour in Baking

I am a huge advocate for incorporating almond flour into my baked goods, and for good reason. It imparts a distinctive flavor and a tender richness that traditional all-purpose flour simply cannot achieve on its own. Almond flour creates a wonderfully delicate texture, contributing to the cookie’s melt-in-your-mouth quality.

Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour is my absolute go-to choice. It’s consistently made from blanched whole almonds, resulting in an exceptionally fine texture. This fineness allows it to blend seamlessly into doughs and batters, ensuring a smooth, consistent cookie every time. It’s a staple in my pantry, and I particularly appreciate that it now comes in a convenient large, resealable bag, making storage a breeze.

A Quick Tip for Optimal Storage: Almond flour, due to its natural oil content, can degrade more quickly at warmer temperatures. To maximize its freshness and shelf life, I *always* store my almond flour in the freezer. Just remember to allow it to come to room temperature before you begin your baking endeavors to ensure proper integration into your recipe.

To really amplify that signature almond flavor, an extra touch of pure almond extract is incorporated into the dough. This dual approach—using both almond flour and almond extract—creates a deep, nuanced almond taste that truly sets these cookies apart.

Mastering Almond Sugar Cookies: Essential Tips for Success

Achieving perfect cut-out almond sugar cookies requires understanding a few key principles, especially given the unique properties of almond flour. Since almond flour lacks gluten, which provides structure in traditional baked goods, this recipe wisely combines it with unbleached all-purpose flour. The all-purpose flour provides the necessary gluten structure, ensuring your cookies hold their shape beautifully and maintain a pleasant texture. (For more on the science behind different types of flour, you can explore resources like this guide to flour.)

The Crucial Step: Chilling Your Cookie Dough

This sugar cookie dough is naturally high in fat, primarily from the generous amount of butter and the inherent natural fats in almond flour. Therefore, it is absolutely paramount to chill this cookie dough thoroughly before baking. Skipping this step will almost certainly lead to your cookies spreading in the oven, losing their defined shapes. When first mixed, the dough will be quite soft and sticky. The chilling process firms up the butter and fats, preventing them from melting too quickly in the oven and causing the cookies to spread.

Once your dough is prepared, divide it in half and roll each portion out to a uniform ¼-inch thickness between two sheets of parchment or wax paper. This technique is a game-changer for several reasons: it not only allows the dough to chill much more quickly (you’ll need a minimum of one hour, or even longer!), but it also makes the subsequent steps incredibly easy. You can cut out your desired cookie shapes, effortlessly transfer them to a baking sheet, and then pop them into the oven while they are still perfectly firm and chilled. Important Note: If, after cutting, your cookie shapes feel at all soft or pliable, immediately place them back in the refrigerator for another 15-20 minutes. The cut-out cookies *must* be firm and well-chilled when they enter the oven to ensure they retain their shape.

To reiterate, chilling is not optional; it’s fundamental. This vital step transforms the cutting process into a relatively foolproof experience, especially for those more intricate cookie cutter designs. It guarantees that your beautiful cookies will hold their precise shapes and prevents any disheartening spreading during baking, ensuring a batch of perfectly formed treats every time.

Don’t worry about waste! Any leftover dough scraps can simply be pressed together, re-rolled, and used again. For the best results when re-rolling scraps, I recommend using fresh pieces of parchment paper to prevent any sticking.

Crafting the Perfect Simple Icing for Your Almond Sugar Cookies

To complement these exquisite cookies, they are beautifully decorated with my tried-and-true, go-to cookie icing. This simple recipe is a breeze to whip up, combining confectioner’s sugar, heavy cream, a hint of fresh orange juice (tying back to the cookie’s flavor profile!), pure vanilla extract, and a touch of light corn syrup. While I typically limit my use of corn syrup, in this application, it plays a crucial role: it helps give the icing a lovely, professional-looking shine.

The consistency of this icing is just right – thick enough to be piped precisely without thinning out or spreading unattractively. Furthermore, it sets and hardens beautifully, creating a stable, touchable surface. For best results, allow the iced cookies several hours (preferably overnight, especially if you plan on packing or shipping them) to dry uncovered at room temperature. The best part? It tastes significantly better than traditional royal icing, offering a soft, sweet flavor that enhances, rather than overwhelms, the cookie. It’s a win-win in my baking book!

Generous Yield and Heartfelt Gifting Opportunities

This recipe is designed to produce a generous quantity of cookies—approximately 3½ dozen, though the exact number will vary depending on the size of your cookie cutters. This substantial yield makes it absolutely perfect for boxing up, bagging, or arranging on platters for various occasions.

I plan on personally delivering these delightful almond sugar cookies to the dedicated staff and maintenance workers in our apartment building, as well as to my closest friends in our neighborhood whom I see regularly at the dog park. I’m also putting together a special box for our local fire department. Homemade baked goods truly make the most thoughtful and appreciated gifts. These cookies offer a wonderful and delicious way to express your gratitude and show kindness to others. So, gather your ingredients and get ready for some happy baking!

Essential Tools for Decorating Your Almond Sugar Cookies

If you’re inspired to decorate your cookies in a similar beautiful fashion, here are a handful of my favorite sugar cookie decorating tools that I find indispensable:

• French Rolling Pin (affiliate link): Essential for achieving even dough thickness.
• Snowflake Cutter, Set of 5 (affiliate link): Perfect for festive shapes.
• 12-Inch Decorating Bag, #3 Piping Tip, Plastic Couplers (affiliate links): For precise and beautiful icing application.
• Decorative Sparkling Sugar, NonPareils, Sugar Pearls (affiliate links): To add that extra special sparkle and texture.

Almond Sugar Cookies

4.6 stars (24 ratings)

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Yield: 3.5 Dozen Cookies (Depending on Cutter Size)

Prep: 2 hours hours

Cook: 8 minutes minutes

Total: 2 hours hours 8 minutes minutes

Crisp and buttery almond sugar cookies made with almond meal and flavored with almond extract and fresh orange zest. This easy cut-out cookie recipe holds its shape and stores incredibly well.

Equipment

• KitchenAid 5 Qt. Artisan Stand Mixer
• Half Sheet Pan

Ingredients

Almond Sugar Cookies

• 2½ cups (300 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (95 g) Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour
• 1¾ teaspoons (7 g) baking powder
• ½ teaspoon (2 grams) kosher salt
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• zest of 1 orange
• 2½ sticks (10 oz; 282 g) unsalted butter softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon pure almond extract

Simple Icing

• 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar sifted to remove lumps
• 2 tablespoons (40 g) light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Decorations

• decorating pearls
• sparkling sugar

Instructions

• Prepare, Roll, and Chill Cookie Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the unbleached all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, and kosher salt until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the granulated sugar and orange zest. Using your fingertips, rub the zest into the sugar for a few minutes. This releases the orange oils, making the sugar incredibly fragrant and resembling wet sand.
• Add the softened butter to the stand mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, cream the sugar mixture and butter on low speed for about 30 seconds, or until light and creamy. Incorporate the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, mixing on low speed until just combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, ensuring all ingredients are evenly incorporated. Gradually add the dry flour mixture on low speed, mixing only until the flour is absorbed and the dough just comes together. The dough will appear soft and somewhat sticky at this stage.
• Gently press the dough together, then divide it in half. Place each half between two large pieces of parchment or wax paper. Roll each dough portion evenly until it is ¼-inch thick. Stack the rolled dough sheets on top of each other and transfer them to a baking sheet or a flat surface. Place in the refrigerator and chill for a minimum of 1 hour, or until the dough is very cold and firm. Important Note: This chilling step is absolutely essential for preventing spread, so do not attempt to skip it.
• Bake Cookies: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) with an oven rack positioned in the center. Line a standard baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Retrieve one half of the chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator. Using your preferred cookie cutters, cut out shapes. Carefully place the cut-out cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are about one inch apart. Note: The dough sheets must remain very firm during the cutting process. If at any point the dough becomes soft or sticky, return it to the refrigerator for an additional 15 to 20 minutes to firm up. Furthermore, the cut-out cookies themselves should be firm and cool when they are placed into the oven.
• Bake for 7 to 9 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, rotate the pan to ensure even browning. Cookies are done when their edges are just beginning to turn a light golden color. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. It is crucial that the cookies are entirely cool before you begin decorating them.
• Repeat the cutting and baking process with the remaining half of the rolled dough. Any leftover dough scraps can be gently pressed together, re-rolled (preferably between new, clean pieces of parchment paper to prevent sticking), and used for additional cookies.
• Prepare the Icing: In a small bowl, combine all the icing ingredients. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is completely smooth, lump-free, and has a slightly glossy appearance. The icing should be thick enough to hold its shape for piping.
• Transfer the prepared icing to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton #3 tip (or your preferred small round tip). Pipe and decorate the cooled cookies as desired, garnishing with decorating pearls, sparkling sugar, or other sprinkles while the icing is still wet. For effortless cleanup and to easily collect excess decorations, I recommend decorating the cookies on a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet.
• Allow the decorated cookies to set, uncovered, at room temperature for several hours (or ideally overnight) until the icing is completely firm to the touch. Once fully set, store the cookies in an airtight container.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week or even longer, but their flavor and texture are truly at their peak during the first few days after baking.

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 97kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 59mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 12g

Author: Laura / A Beautiful Plate

Course: Cookies and Bars

Cuisine: American

This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. Thank you for supporting brands I love and use in my kitchen. Check out more delicious healthy recipes, snag coupons, and find stores near you at BobsRedMill.com!