Thin, crispy, sweet, buttery, sparkly, spicy, and fruity describe these Chinese Almond Ginger cookies. They have a balance of thin and crispiness with a tender, soft center that melts in your mouth. Think of a sugar cookie with a hint of ginger and almond flavors. These cookies will pleasantly surprise you even if you aren’t a crispy cookie person. Whether you’re celebrating Lunar New Year, or you just have a sugar cookie craving, these little uniquely flavored gems hit the spot.
Almond Cookie Origins
Almond cookies are popular all over China today specifically in Hong Kong and Macao bakeries. These cookies were thought to have been adapted from the original walnut cookie eaten during the Ming Dynasty in the 16th century. When the Chinese began immigrating to the United States during the 1800s, they took the traditional walnut and subbed with the easily accessible almond and thus the contemporary almond cookies were born.
My Version of the Chinese Almond Cookie
I’m excited to share my take on the Chinese almond cookie with the addition of chopped candied ginger. Ginger is traditional to Chinese cuisine; it adds a unique, mild spicy kick along with health benefits and luck to this traditional cookie. In addition, I opted for a combination of baking powder and baking soda along with butter and shortening as the mix of each contributes to a balanced texture of both soft and crispy, flat and “fluffy”. The right amount of each satisfies both cookie preferences.
Some Ginger Basics
(flowering ginger plant where the flowers are used in Asian sauces & salads)
(flowering ginger plant where the flowers are used for medicinal purposes)
(standard ginger root harvested prior to flowering & used as a spice or for medicinal purposes)
Ginger has a general name called zingiber from the sanskrit word singabera meaning horn-root. It is thought to have originated in southeast Asia and been used in Chinese medicine for well over 2,500 years. In fact, Confucius (the famous Chinese philosopher who lived from ~551 to ~479 BC) documented eating it before meals to aid digestion and eliminate a gassy tummy 😉.
More than a Root
Many people don’t realize that ginger is an herbaceous (with green leaves) sub-tropic flowering plant. It has multiple uses grown for both harvesting the root to be used as a spice (or medicine) and left to produce ornamental flowers for the garden or home. Yes! That spicy root produces beautiful flowers!! In fact, the flowers of some ginger plants (like the Torch Ginger pictured above) are used in Asian sauces and salads.
Of Course, the Root
Most of us are aware of the ginger root (rhizome) that looks like a branch or stem. This fresh from-the-earth “branch” has a papery, cork-looking covering that surrounds the ginger. Ginger is commonly peeled and sliced, grated, or ground into powder to enhance soups, teas, sauces, and holiday sweet bakes. You often see it pickled in restaurants to eat between sushi bites to clear the palate. Some of us even eat a small bite of fresh or candied ginger when we have upset stomachs or feel nauseated. Multiple research studies suggest that ginger is a good, natural medicine for relieving minor stomach pain including menstrual cramps. There are many types of ginger plants where different elements are edible and used for different reasons.
Almond Ginger Cookies: Ingredients
This cookie, at its core, resembles a basic sugar cookie; however, there are some texture and flavor… enhancements 😊. For the ingredients, you’ll need all-purpose flour, blanched almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, shortening, granulated sugar, an egg, almond extract, crystallized ginger, and almond slices to decorate the tops for good luck.
Sift the Dry Ingredients
To a sifter, in a medium bowl, add 160 grams (1⅓ cups) of all-purpose flour. Add 75 grams (⅔ cup) of blanched almond flour. You can use almond meal (ground almonds with their skins), but I prefer the smooth texture of fine blanched (skin free) almond flour. Add 2 grams (½ teaspoons) of baking powder, 2 grams (½ teaspoon) of baking soda, and 1½ grams (¼ teaspoons) of salt. Sift all the ingredients in the bowl. When most of the mixture is sifted, add any remaining particles to the sifted mixture as we want all the ingredients with most of them sifted to break up any larger particles. Give all the ingredients a quick stir to combine and set the bowl aside.
TIP: I use both baking powder and baking soda as baking powder is an acidic leavening agent that softens cookies while baking soda adds to the thinness and crispiness. I like the combination of both textures in this cookie.
Combine the Wet Ingredients
Cream Butter & Shortening
In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, add 113 grams (½ cup or 1 stick) of softened room temperature butter. If you forgot to set out the butter to come to room temperature, dice it and place it in the microwave for 10 seconds to soften. Add 100 grams (½ cup / 4 ounces) of shortening. Use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer paddle attachment to beat the butter and shortening until combined.
TIP: I like to use both butter and shortening in this recipe because butter flattens cookies, adds flavor, and caramelizes the bottoms as they bake. Shortening tenderizes and softens cookies. These cookies will be thin and crispy but with a smidge of softness in the center.
Add Sugar, Egg, & Almond Extract
To the butter mixture, add 150 grams (¾ cup) of granulated sugar and beat again until light and creamy. Then, add 1 large, room temperature egg and 1 teaspoon of almond extract. This amount of almond extract may sound like a lot, but we want the almond flavor to shine and balance out the spicy ginger. Beat again until well combined.
Combine All Ingredients
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir with a spoon or use the paddle attachment on the stand mixer. Mix only until all the ingredients are combined; careful not to overmix. Fold in 60 grams (½ cup) of chopped crystallized ginger.
TIP: Ginger is traditional in Chinese and Indian cuisines. Aside from its health benefits, ginger is thought to bring good luck, fortune, and ward off negative energy. What a great way to begin a new year!
Refrigerate to Firm
Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes to overnight up to 3 days. The dough should firm up to make it easier to roll each cookie in sugar.
TIP: This is a good make-ahead cookie since you can make the dough days ahead of time. You can even freeze the dough weeks ahead of time and allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling and baking.
Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Sheets
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set them aside.
TIP: To ensure the parchment paper is flush with the pans in the corners. Add a dab of cookie batter on each pan corner and press the paper down to stick to the pan. The paper should be flat and flush thus preventing cookies from baking in odd shapes.
Measure out Sugar & Almonds (Toppings)
Place ⅓ cup of granulated sugar in a small bowl. Measure about ~¼ cup of almond slices onto a plate or in another small bowl.
TIP: I prefer large granules of granulated sugar for rolling balls of dough. The large sugar granules maintain their shape thus remaining on the cookies leaving both sparkle and crunch. If you would like a bigger crunch and more of an almond flavor, you can use whole almonds in place of sliced on the cookie tops.
Roll Cookie Dough & Place on Baking Pans
Remove the cold cookie dough from the fridge. Scoop dough using a 1½ -inch cookie scoop/melon baller or spoon. If using a spoon, remove about a walnut size amount of dough. Roll the dough into balls in your hands and then in the sugar. Place the dough balls on the cookie sheet ~2-inches apart. Place one large or several small almond slices/pieces on the top, near the center of each cookie and lightly press down. The almond baked on top is thought to bring good luck.
TIP: If using the cookie scoop or melon baller, once filled with cookie dough, scrape it along the bowl edge to remove any excess dough leveling off the edge. This will ensure the same amount of dough in each cookie resulting in equal cookie sizes.
Bake & Repeat with Remaining Cookie Dough
Once a baking sheet is filled, place it in the oven and bake for 10-11 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. While one batch of cookies bakes, fill the second baking sheet with rolled cookies in sugar and almond on top. Place the filled baking sheet along with the cookie batter in the fridge to keep the dough cold and firm.
Remove the baked cookies and wait 2 minutes before removing them from the pan onto a cooling rack. If you remove them before they’re set, they will fall apart. Repeat with remaining dough and cookie sheet until all the cookies are baked.
TIP: While these cookies are crispy, if you want a snappy, crunchy cookie allow these to bake another minute.
Almond Ginger Cookies Up Close
The cookies are thin and lightly brown around the edges. The tops are pale from the light color ingredients and the bottoms are dark and caramelized from the butter and granulated sugar. The almond slices are securely baked into the tops. The thin, crispy exterior is a result of the butter and baking soda. The soft center is due to the shortening and baking powder. You can spot the little ginger pieces throughout.
Almond Ginger Cookies: Storage Suggestions
Store the cooled cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a week or in the freezer for several months. They are best hot out of the oven as they melt in your mouth, but they are just as tasty days later. As the cookies sit at room temperature, they begin to dry out becoming crumbly.
National Chinese Almond Cookie Day
National Chinese Almond Cookie Day is April 9 this year. So, make a batch of these cookies now for luck and make another later to celebrate its special day. Keep in mind, once you make a batch, you’ll want to make another very soon 😉!
Almond Ginger Cookies: Final Thoughts
I love these crispy, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth, spiced almond and ginger sugar cookies. They are reminiscent of a sugar cookie enhanced with almond and ginger spice flavors. They are easy to make and great to serve to guests. Make the dough ahead of time, up to three days, to save time when you’re ready to bake them. Serve them during Lunar New Year, on National Chinese Almond Cookie Day this year on April 9th, or anytime you’re craving a sugar cookie or need some spice in your life.
Baker’s Perspective on Almond Ginger Cookies
These are fairly easy cookies to make, much like a traditional homemade sugar cookie. The dough needs a little time to firm in the fridge prior to rolling them in sugar. The chopped spiced candied ginger is an easy addition, but if you can’t find crystallized ginger, you can leave it out. A cookie scoop or melon baller ensures equal-sized cookies and near perfect rounds. However, you can always use a spoon with amount of dough to resemble the size of a walnut. These cookies spread to double or so in size on the baking sheet, so leaving at least 2 inches between them is imperative. I prefer to bake one pan of cookies at time, but you can bake two pans to save time. You can also freeze the cookie dough for later and thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to bake.
Taster’s Perspective on Almond Ginger Cookies
Yummy! These really are a thin sugar cookie with almond and ginger flavors. The butter makes them crispy and thin while the shortening gives them a minor soft center. However, as the cookies sit at room temperature, they begin to dry out becoming crumbly. Everyone has their own cookie texture preference. I tend to prefer softer cookies, so for this recipe I created something in the middle that could satisfy both soft and crispy preferences. You can detect the butter, almond, and ginger flavors. The ginger is chewy adding texture. The coarse granulated sugar on the outside adds sparkle and additional crunch. The almond slice(s) on top adds a minor crunch that is mostly undetectable. If you like almonds, you could add a whole almond to the top in place of an almond slice. I find the cookies quite addicting and can’t eat just one. That says it all, “great cookie”!
Check out my YouTube Video on the ins and outs of making this cookie. “Chinese Almond Ginger Sugar Cookies: MUST TRY Thin, Crispy, Buttery, Spicy, Fruity, Sweet Delights”
Chinese Almond Ginger Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 160 g (1⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
- 75 g (⅔ cup) blanched almond flour
- 2 g (½ tsp) baking powder
- 2 g (½ tsp) baking soda
- 1½ g (¼ tsp) salt
- 113 g (½ cup / 1 stick) butter softened (room temperature)
- 100 g (½ cup) shortening
- 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar plus ⅓ cup more to cover rolled cookies
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 60 g (½ cup) crystallized ginger chopped
- ~¼ cup almond slices or 1 whole almond per cookie to decorate the tops
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add any remaining particles to the sifted mixture.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, use an electric hand mixer or paddle attachment to beat butter and shortening until combined. Add sugar and beat again until light and creamy. Add egg and almond extract. Beat again until well combined.TIP: Crack the egg in a separate small bowl to prevent shells or a bad egg from ending up in your batter.
- Add flour mixture and stir with a spoon or use the paddle attachment on the stand mixer. Mix until all the ingredients are combined without overmixing.
- Fold in chopped crystallized ginger. Cover and refrigerate dough ~30 minutes to overnight up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177˚C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat.TIP: Add a dab of cookie dough to each corner of the pan and press the paper down to sit flush.
- Place ⅓ cup granulated sugar in a small bowl.TIP: Larger sugar granules in which to roll the dough adds sparkle and crunch.
- Remove the dough from the fridge. Use a 1½ -inch cookie scoop or spoon to remove about a walnut size amount of dough. Roll the dough into balls in your hands and then in the sugar. Place the dough balls on the cookie sheet ~2-inches apart. Place several almond slices/pieces on the top, near the center of each cookie.TIP: Scrape the cookie scoop edge off in the bowl to remove excess dough to ensure equal cookie sizes.
- Once a baking sheet is filled, place it in the oven and bake for 10-11 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. Remove cookie sheet and wait 2 minutes before removing them from the pan onto a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough and cookie sheet.
Video
Notes
Check out these other recipes that highlight Lunar New Year or use almonds or ginger.
French Spice Bread (Pain d’Épices)
German Bee Sting (Bienenstich) Cake
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