Almond Shortbread Cookies are slightly sweet, tender yet crisp, with a hint of almond flavor. Perfect for enjoying with coffee, tea, or a cold glass of milk. Make a batch or two and give as gifts or make ahead and freeze for later!

Almond Shortbread Cookies

Are you nuts for almonds?!?!

I love almonds, and almond flavor, so much that I can eat handfuls of them all day long.

They are a healthy snack for sure. But the subtle flavor of them make them perfect for baking. Almond shortbread recipe

Outside of the butter, the star of the show is the almond extract. Make sure to use a good one.

I prefer the almond paste from Taylor and Colledge because they use only the best ingredients to allow the almond flavor to really shine!

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labeled picture of ingredients for almond extract cookies

Ingredients Needed

Butter – Use unsalted butter and keep it chilled.

Flour – All purpose flour is best. I haven’t tested this recipe with other flours.

Sugar – White granulated sugar. I don’t recommend sugar substitutes.

Eggs – Large size eggs. Bring to room temperature before using.

Almond extract – This brings out that almond flavor!

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cookie ingredients on a wood backdrop — cream butter and sugar

almond shortbread dough in a food processor bowl — cream butter and sugar

How to Make Almond Shortbread Cookies

First: In a food processor bowl, combine cubed butter and sugar. Pulse until mixed.

Second: Add beaten egg, yolk, almond extract, and flour mixture. Pulse until mixed and the dough just comes together.

shortbread cookie dough in plastic wrap — wrap & chill for 30 – 60 mins

cookie dough and rolling pin on wood surface — wrap & chill for 30 – 60 mins

Third: Bring dough out onto lightly floured surface, shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, & chill in fridge for 30-60 minutes.

Fourth: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out chilled dough to 5mm thickness. Cut into 3 inch round cookies, place on baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes.

cookie dough cut into rounds on a cookie sheet — cut into rounds

baked almond shortbread cookies on cookie sheet — cut into rounds

Fifth: Bake for 12-16 minutes or until the edges just start to brown and the middle is set. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

How long do they last?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you don’t eat them first!

Can you freeze them?

Yes, you can bake the almond cookies, cool completely, wrap in a freezer bag, in between parchment or wax paper, and freeze for up to three months.

You can also freeze the raw dough in a log, or slice the dough and freeze in between layers of parchment paper. Thaw slightly before baking.

overhead picture of stack of 3 almond cookies

Yes, you should. Chilling the dough allows the butter to solidify which keeps the cookie from spreading while baking.

A butter cookie has more sugar than shortbread making a sweeter cookie.

What is the secret to making good shortbread?

Because you are only using a few ingredients, always make sure they are high quality.

Should shortbread cookies be soft out of the oven?

When the cookies are just starting to brown around the edges, the cookies are done. They will be tender yet firm.

I would leave them on the baking sheet for another minute or two to set before moving to rack to cool completely.tender but with a slight crisp to them.

Tapas Tips & Tricks

some don’t use eggs in their recipes, but eggs, especially egg yolks makes them richer.
keep your butter chilled to keep the cookies flaky.
only process the dough as much as you need to get it together. Too much and the cookies will be tough.
keep the cookies the same thickness to even cooking. I like to use a rolling pin with spacers to make this easier.
divide the chilled dough into 4 sections and roll one section at a time to keep the remaining dough chilled.
rotate your pan half way through baking to ensure even cooking.
if you don’t have a cookie cutter, roll into a log and then slice them into individual cookies.
shortbread doesn’t require baking powder.
decorate with sliced almonds or an almond on top if desired.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!

collage of cookies with text "almond shortbread cookies"

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