Exquisite Almond Sugar Cookies
The almond extract is optional, but not really.
Ingredients
- 1 34 cups (218 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 12 teaspoon baking soda
- 12 teaspoon baking powder
- 12 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 14 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, for rolling
- 12 cup (113 g) salted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 12 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but not really)
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Electric mixer (or hand mixer — or strong arms)
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Sugar cookies are about as simple as they come, but I find with a little bit of extra flavor and by taking the time to chill your dough, they can really take it to the next level. I was traveling when I made these cookies so I mixed them by hand, which wasn’t actually that bad.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
Step 2
Cream together: 12 cup (1 stick) butter, 1 cup sugar
Step 3
Add: 1 egg, 1 tbsp vanilla, 12 tsp almond extract
Step 4
Then mix in: 12 tsp baking soda, 12 tsp baking powder, 12 tsp salt, 1 34 cup flour
Step 5
Roll dough into balls and coat in the remaining 14 cup sugar (or sprinkles). Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Step 6
Bake at 350°F for 11–12 minutes until bottoms turn light brown.
Let’s discuss
The almond extract is what makes these worth writing about. Most sugar cookies taste like sugar and butter, which is fine but forgettable. The almond extract adds a depth of flavor that most sugar cookies lack.
Chilling the dough makes a big difference here as well — same principle as the oatmeal cookies. And parchment paper is worth using: it helps prevent the bottoms from browning before the tops are done.