These buttery almond shortbread cookies are crisp at the edges, tender in the center, and full of warm almond flavor. Made with almond extract and real roasted almonds in the dough, this small-batch recipe yields 12 cookies and can easily be doubled or tripled for holiday baking, cookie boxes, or everyday treats.
If you love classic shortbread, these almond shortbread cookies are a beautiful variation to add to your baking list. They have the rich, buttery texture that makes shortbread so irresistible, with an extra layer of nutty flavor from roasted almonds and a delicate sweetness from almond extract. The result is a cookie that feels simple, elegant, and special all at once.
Another reason this almond shortbread cookie recipe is so useful is that the dough can be made ahead. Roll it into a log, chill it in the refrigerator, or freeze it for later. When you are ready to bake, simply slice the dough, sprinkle the tops with sugar, and bake until the edges are lightly golden. It is an ideal make-ahead cookie dough for busy holiday baking, gifting, or keeping on hand when you want a small batch of fresh homemade cookies.
How to Make Almond Shortbread Cookies
What Type of Almond Should You Use?
You can make these almond shortbread cookies with roasted whole almonds, sliced almonds, almond pieces, or almond flour. Roasted almonds are highly recommended because roasting brings out their natural nuttiness and gives the cookies a deeper flavor. If your almonds are not already roasted, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, then let them cool completely before grinding.
- Add the roasted almonds to the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse or process until the almonds are finely ground. Stop before the mixture turns into almond butter. A few slightly larger pieces are fine and will add texture to the cookies.
If you do not have a food processor, almond flour is a convenient substitute. Both blanched almond flour and unblanched almond flour can be used. Blanched almond flour creates a smoother dough and a lighter-looking cookie, while ground whole almonds give the cookies more texture and a stronger roasted almond flavor.
How to Prepare Almond Shortbread Dough
- Add softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, almond extract, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Beat with the paddle attachment until the mixture is smooth, combined, and fluffy.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground almonds or almond flour, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.
- Mix just until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing, as shortbread should stay tender and delicate.
- Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap. Shape it into a log about 6 inches long, wrap it well, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- When ready to bake, slice the chilled dough into ½-inch thick rounds. Place the cookies on a baking sheet, spacing them about 1 to 2 inches apart. Sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar and bake at 350°F for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn lightly golden.
The texture of the dough will vary depending on the almond you choose. Dough made with almond flour will look smoother and more uniform. Dough made with ground whole almonds will have small almond pieces throughout, which gives the finished cookies a pleasant crunch and a more complex flavor.
For the best almond shortbread cookies, roasted almonds are worth using when possible. They add a rich, nutty taste that pairs beautifully with butter, vanilla, and almond extract.
Can You Use Cookie Cutters with This Dough?
This dough is easiest to use as a slice-and-bake shortbread dough. Chilling the dough in a log makes it simple to cut neat rounds and bake a small batch whenever you like. However, you can use cookie cutters if you prefer shaped almond shortbread cookies.
For cut-out cookies, almond flour is the better option because it creates a smoother dough and cleaner edges. Ground whole almonds can leave uneven pieces in the dough, which may make it harder for cookie cutters to create sharp shapes.
To prepare the dough for cookie cutters, shape it into a disc instead of a log before chilling. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, then roll it out to ½-inch thickness and cut with your preferred cookie cutters. Keep in mind that almond shortbread cookies may spread more than plain shortbread because of the almonds in the dough. Freezing the cut cookies briefly before baking can help reduce spreading, but it may not stop it completely.
Other Tips
Flavor Variations
Shortbread cookies are easy to customize, and this almond shortbread recipe can be used as a starting point for many different flavors. If you enjoy experimenting with simple cookie dough, try one of these ideas:
- Use ground walnuts or pecans with a small pinch of cinnamon for a warm, cozy flavor.
- Try pistachios with a little cardamom and orange zest for a fragrant variation.
- Add cocoa powder and ground macadamia nuts for a chocolate nut shortbread cookie.
- Replace the nuts with finely shredded dried coconut for a coconut shortbread version.
- Use poppy seeds and lemon zest for a bright lemon poppy seed shortbread cookie.
- Try pepitas or pumpkin seeds with pumpkin pie spice for a fall-inspired cookie.
Making the Dough Ahead
This almond shortbread cookie dough freezes well, making it a practical choice for make-ahead baking. After preparing the dough, roll it into logs, wrap each log tightly, place the wrapped dough in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to three months.
You can also slice the dough before freezing. Arrange the cookie slices in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers so they do not stick together. When you are ready to bake, place the slices on a baking sheet and bake as directed. The dough can go into the oven from chilled or frozen, though frozen slices may need a little extra time.
More Shortbread Cookies This Way
- Chocolate chip shortbread cookies
- Lemon shortbread cookies
- Caramelized sugar shortbread cookies
- Decorated shortbread cookies
- Matcha shortbread cookies
These almond shortbread cookies are a lovely addition to any holiday cookie tray. They are simple to make, easy to prepare ahead, and full of buttery almond flavor. If you are baking for a crowd, make a double batch because these cookies disappear quickly.
If you try this recipe, leave a comment and rating to share how it turned out. Homemade almond shortbread is simple, elegant, and always welcome with a cup of tea or coffee.
Almond Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
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Food processor
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Stand mixer
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Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature, 113 g
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 65 g
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, 132 g
- ½ cup whole roasted almonds, 72 g, or another almond option listed in the notes
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- Whole almonds for garnish, optional
Instructions
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Add the softened butter, sugar, almond extract, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment until combined and fluffy.
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Process the roasted almonds in a food processor until finely ground, stopping before they turn into almond butter. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground almonds, and salt.
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Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until a dough forms.
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Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap. Roll it into a log about 6 inches long, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Slice the chilled dough into ½-inch thick rounds using a sharp knife. Place the slices on a baking sheet about 1 to 2 inches apart.
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Sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar. If desired, press a whole almond into the center of each cookie.
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Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn light brown. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.
Notes
- You can use whole almonds, sliced almonds, almond pieces, or almond flour in this recipe. If using almond flour, skip the food processor step and whisk it directly with the flour and salt.
- For the most accurate result, weigh the almonds. If using almond flour, the amount is about ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon.
- This recipe makes 12 cookies and can be doubled or tripled for a larger batch.
- Because the dough contains almonds, these cookies may spread more than plain shortbread. Freezing the dough before baking can help reduce spreading.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below.This post was originally published on 12/17/2014. The recipe was updated and republished on 10/17/2019 with improvements, extra tips, and process photos to help you in the kitchen.
