These Soft Almond Sugar Cookies are buttery, tender, and packed with bright almond flavor. Ready in about 30 minutes, they’re a favorite for quick treats, gatherings, and the holiday cookie tin.
I found this recipe a few months ago and have made it about six times — it’s so easy and so good!
-Miranda, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love almond-flavored desserts for their rich, sweet, nutty aroma. These soft almond sugar cookies are easy to make, have a chewy, melt-in-your-mouth texture, and finish beautifully with a simple almond glaze and sliced almonds for crunch.
Use this recipe as your new go-to sugar cookie when you want a cookie that’s soft, buttery, and full of almond flavor. They’re versatile for decorating, gifting, or serving at parties.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Buttery, soft cookies that practically melt in your mouth.
- Uses just a handful of common ingredients—no weird additives required.
- Quick and straightforward: four main steps and about 30 minutes total time.
- Great year-round for movie nights, birthdays, or holiday baking.
- Easy to scale: double or triple the batch for parties or cookie exchanges.
Ingredients
- Almond extract provides the signature flavor; use a good-quality extract for the best result.
- Granulated sugar and softened butter
- Powdered sugar (confectioners’) for a smooth almond icing.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Swap almond extract for vanilla, lemon, or maple for a different flavor profile.
- Add food coloring to the icing to create festive decorated cookies.
- Mix in chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or dried fruit for texture and variety.
- Use cream cheese frosting and fresh fruit instead of the almond glaze for a tangy alternative.
If you try other substitutions, note that texture and bake time may change—adjust as needed.
Most valuable tool
Food Scale
Weigh ingredients with a food scale for the most accurate, consistent results—especially for flour.
How to Make Almond Sugar Cookies
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and almond extract and mix until combined.
Step 2: Stir in all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
Step 3: Scoop 3–4 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Place them 2–3 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F until the edges are set and just starting to tan, about 9–12 minutes depending on your oven. Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Step 4: For the icing, whisk powdered sugar with milk and a small amount of almond extract until smooth. Spread over cooled cookies and top with sliced almonds. Allow icing to set before serving.
Expert Tips
- Room temperature butter: Soft butter creams properly with sugar—leave it out a few hours or soften in 5–10 second microwave bursts if needed.
- Don’t overbake: Remove cookies when edges are just tinged with color; they’ll finish setting as they cool.
- Sift powdered sugar: Sifting prevents lumps in the icing for a smooth finish.
Recipe FAQs
They were likely baked too long. These cookies should be removed when the edges are barely tan to keep them soft.
Overworking the dough or overmixing after adding flour develops gluten and can make cookies tough. Mix only until the dry ingredients disappear.
Yes—these cookies are delicious plain. The icing is optional for added sweetness and almond punch.
Storage
Room Temperature
Store unfrosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Refrigerator
Iced cookies keep well in the fridge for up to 1 week and should remain soft.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. For convenience, freeze scooped dough balls (on a tray, then transfer to a bag) for up to 1 month; bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time.
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Easy Almond Croissant Shortbread Cookies
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Almond Poppy Seed Cake with Glaze
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Orange Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Easy Raspberry Crumble Cookies
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Mixing bowls, measuring spoons/cups or scale
- Cookie scoop, baking sheet, spatula, wire rack
Ingredients
Almond Sugar Cookies
- 10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons almond extract (reduce to 1 tsp for a milder taste)
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, weighed or spooned & leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Almond Icing
- 3/4 cup (90 g) powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, optional for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cream softened butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1–2 minutes. Add the egg and almond extract; mix to combine.
- Add flour, baking soda, and salt; mix until just combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Scoop 3–4 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Place 2–3 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake 9–12 minutes, until edges are just starting to tan.
- Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract until smooth. Spread over cooled cookies and top with sliced almonds. Let icing set before serving.
Notes
*If you prefer a subtler almond flavor, use 1 teaspoon almond extract instead of 2 teaspoons.
Storage: Unfrosted cookies at room temperature up to 1 week; iced cookies refrigerated up to 1 week; freeze baked cookies up to 3 months. Freeze dough balls for up to 1 month and bake from frozen.
Nutrition (estimate)
Per cookie: ~412 kcal. Nutrition is an estimate and not guaranteed.
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