Chinese Almond Ginger Sugar Cookies
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.
Servings: 40 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
-As cookies sit at room temperature for several days, they will dry out and become crumbly (still great!).
-For crispier cookies, allow the cookies to bake for 11-12 minutes (about a minute longer).
Storing Suggestions:
Store cooled cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a week. For longer storage, place cookies in a sealed bag or container and freeze for several months.