Amaretto Almond Cookies are classic Christmas treats that you’ll love baking a big batch of! They have the BEST crumbly, sandy consistency with hints of crunchy almonds. The best part, of course, is the signature almond flavor you’ll get in every sweet bite!
We’re in cookie season, friends! This is truly the most magical time of the year. I think my oven stays perpetually preheated from the beginning of December throughout the new year! One of my all-time favorites treats to pop into the oven is none other than these Amaretto Almond Cookies. They’re classic, tried and true cookies that always make me smile!
So, what’s to love about these almond Christmas cookies? They’re perfectly sweet, rich with just the right amount of almond flavor, and the consistency is that crumbly texture we all know and love! The sweetness in these cookies is nice and subtle, which is why they’re also rolled in a dusting of powdered sugar as the final step. It’s like the cherry on top!
It’s also worth mentioning that these little cookies are SO easy to make! While they’re entirely homemade, that doesn’t mean that they’re a hassle. The cookie dough is super easy to make, then you just have to scoop it, bake it, dust the cookies with powdered sugar, and enjoy! This quick and easy cookie recipe is perfect for the stressful holiday season.
WHAT’S IN THIS RECIPE?
Eight simple ingredients come together to make these classic Christmas Cookies. You may already have most of them in your kitchen right now!
- Butter: It’ll need to be unsalted and at room temperature.
- Sugar: Powdered sugar and granulated sugar.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Kosher Salt
- Amaretto Liqueur: This flavor is so subtle, but it really enhances the almond flavor in the loveliest way.
- Almond Extract: A little goes a very long way! I don’t recommend adding any more almond extract than the 1 teaspoon that’s called for.
- Minced Almonds: These add the most incredibly chewy, slightly crunchy consistency to the cookies.
The total time you’ll spend making these cookies from start to finish is about 20 minutes. Yes, really!
Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cream the butter. Add the butter, ¼ cup of the powdered sugar, and brown sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer. Cream together until well combined.
Add more ingredients. Mix in the flour and salt until just combined. Then, add in the Amaretto liqueur, almond extract, and minced almonds. Mix until combined.
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Bake. Use a cookie scoop to place the dough on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Cool and coat. Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes, then toss them in the remaining powdered sugar.
Here are just a few little tips to make this easy recipe even more stress-free.
- Measure with care: As it goes with any baked good recipe, you need to measure each ingredient listed and be as exact as possible. A little bit too much or too little of any ingredient can throw off the perfect balance of these cookies and ruin the flavor and/or consistency.
- Use a cookie scoop: This is by far the easiest way to transfer your dough from the bowl to the baking sheet. Plus, the cookie scoop ensures that every single cookie is the exact same size, so they’ll all bake evenly and look perfectly presentational.
- Roll the cookies while they’re still a little warm: Once the cookies are baked and out of the oven, let them cool for just about 5 minutes before rolling. That way, they’re still relatively warm and the powdered sugar will more easily stick to them, but they’re cool enough to handle.
DO I NEED TO REFRIGERATE THE DOUGH?
Nope! These sturdy little almond cookies don’t need to be refrigerated before they get tossed in the oven. I told you this recipe was nice and quick!
WHAT KIND OF ALCOHOL IS AMARETTO?
Amaretto liquor is just that – a liqueur! It’s an Italian concoction that’s made from apricot kernels. The kernels are what actually gives the liqueur its bold almond flavor that’s so perfect for using in baking! If you have any left over, use it deliciously with recipes like Almond Amaretto Cheesecake and Almond Amaretto Pound Cake.
These cookies are so perfect for making ahead of time and gifting to loved ones during the holidays! They stay fresh for up to 7 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Just make sure that the cookies are fully cooled prior to storing, or a condensation may form in the container from the heat. Again, you get these cookies for a whole WEEK when stored properly. They’re the gift that keeps on giving!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar, divided
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2-½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup minced almonds
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper, set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter, ¼ cup powdered sugar, and brown sugar. Cream together for about 2 to 3 minutes, until well combined.
- Add in flour and salt, mixing just until combined.
- Add in Amaretto liqueur, almond extract, and almonds and mix until combined.
- Using a medium sized cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons of dough), scoop dough and gently roll into smooth balls. Place dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about an inch between the cookies for spreading.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned and the edges near the bottom start to pick up a little color.
- Let cookies cool for 5 minutes and then toss in the remaining ½ cup powdered sugar.
- Serve immediately or let cool completely and store in an air tight container for up to a week.
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More Yummy Almond Desserts
- White Texas Almond Sheet Cake
- Almond Meltaway Cookies
- Cherry Almond Whipped Shortbread Cookies
- Almond Joy Truffles
- Sweet Almond Pastry
- Almond Stuffed Crescent Rolls
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Could you leave out the amaretto and increase amount of almond extract , and if so how much, to make these kid friendly??
Hi Nancy! So just in case you still want to use Amaretto, the alcohol content in the Amaretto bakes out in the higher temperatures so they are safe for kids to enjoy. However, if you don’t want to use it at all, I would recommend leaving the same amount of almond extract. But replacing the amaretto with an equal amount of maraschino cherry syrup. They will turn out pinker in color, but that way you will still get that cherry-almond flavor you find in Amaretto. Hope this helps! 🙂
Can you use regular Domino sugar?
Hi Diane, yes! Any granulated sugar will work just fine!
Should almonds be roasted or raw?
Mine were raw, but you can use either!
Do you think you could substitute chopped pecans for the almonds
Of course!
1
Are minced almonds the same as ground? Thanks!
Hi Nancy! No, ground almonds are more of a powder/flour. You want to dice the almonds into a small dice, so they aren’t powder, but finely chopped!