Chinese almond cookies, also called almond biscuits, or almond moon cakes, originally hail from Hong Kong but taste delicious anywhere. Often made for Chinese New Year, they are believed to bring one good luck.
Time to get lucky and get baking with Jennifer Chow's almond cookie recipe! A big thanks to the author for sharing her favorite almond cookies with Mystery Scene readers.
To learn more about the author and her L.A. Night Market series and Sassy Cat series, read Robin Agnew's Q&A here.
JENNIFER CHOW'S CHINESE ALMOND COOKIES
Makes about two dozen (24) cookies.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ⅓ cups sifted all-purpose flour
- ⅝ cup white sugar
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ½ cup butter
- 1 egg, divided
- 1 ½ tsp. almond extract (1 tsp if less almond flavor is desired)
- 24 almond slices (sliced almonds)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
3. Cut in the butter (very important, don't skip this) until mixture resembles cornmeal.
4. Add the almond extract and half of the egg. Mix well; dough will appear to be too crumbly in the beginning, but continue to mix until consistency is doughy. (That's why you only need half an egg).
5. Roll dough into 1" balls, setting them 2" apart on the cookie sheet. Press down with your thumb to flatten each cookie slightly. Place an almond slice in the middle of each cookie.
6. Combine the other half of the egg and ½ tbsp water to make a light egg wash. Brush the tops of the cookies with the glaze, adjusting the amount of glaze used on each cookie depending on how shine is desired.
7. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.
Note: They taste even better the second day after the almond flavor has time to set.
Jennifer J. Chow writes cozies with heart, humor, and heritage. She is the twice-nominated Lefty Award author of the Sassy Cat Mysteries. The first in the Sassy Cat series, Mimi Lee Gets a Clue, was selected as an OverDrive Recommended Read, a PopSugar Best Summer Beach Read, and one of BuzzFeed’s Top 5 Books by AAPI authors. Her new series is the L.A. Night Market Mysteries, and Death by Bubble Tea, which the New York Times called “the first in a fizzy new series,” hit the SoCal Indie Bestseller List. She currently serves as President on the national board of Sisters in Crime, blogs at www.chicksonthecase.com, and participates in Crime Writers of Color.
