Vanilla Almond Smash Cookies

These Vanilla Almond Smash Cookies are my favorite kind of Christmas cookies – they’re easy to make and don’t require decorating. These cookies have a flaky, crumbly texture with a mildly sweet, nutty flavor and a totally intoxicating vanilla scent. They’re the absolute best cookies to have with your coffee or tea!

So, I’ve blogged a lot about how the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is the baking frenzy time. That big, heavy KitchenAid stand mixer comes out of the closet and occupies a semi-permanent spot on the kitchen counter during that six week period.

If I have a spare half hour, you can be sure I’ll be using to it bake cookies or, more accurately, make dough. Then the doughs are piled into the fridge, individually wrapped in plastic and labeled with a sticky note, until I’m ready to bake them and pack them up in gift boxes.

My list of holiday cookies is long. It’s a mix of old favorites and new ideas. As the years go by, those new ideas are either promoted to the “perennial” category, or they get trashed. These Vanilla Almond Smash Cookies are a total perennial.

What’s in Vanilla Almond Smash Cookies

With only five simple ingredients, these cookies will be ready for enjoying in no time. Here’s what you’ll need:

• all-purpose flour
• unsalted butter
• almonds
• sugar
• vanilla

How to make smash cookies

You’ll need a food processor and a mixer for these cookies. Either a stand mixer or a hand mixer will do. Pulse the almonds in a food processor until they’re nice and fine. Be sure not to overprocess the nuts or you’ll end up with almond butter.

Then, form the dough into balls the size of golf balls. You’ll bake them that way at first. Then, a few minutes before they’re finished baking, you’ll pull the cookies out of the oven and smash them down with a fork.

A few more minutes in the oven, post-smash, will finish them off.

Once they cool, give them a quick dip in powdered sugar and you’re ready to gift, dunk or just plain enjoy. My vote? Dunk. Always dunk.

When you make these Vanilla Almond Smash Cookies, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!

For more Christmas cookie recipes, try these:

• Eggnog Cut-Out Cookies
• Easy Cinnamon Chip Cookies
• Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cookies

For more anytime cookie recipes, try these:

• Homemade Oreo Cookies
• Lemon Rosemary Shortbread Cookies with Lemon Glaze
• Fluffernutter Thumbprint Cookies

Vanilla Almond Smash Cookies

These mildly sweet cookies have a crumbly, buttery texture and a nutty flavor that's perfect for dunking!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 32 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 2 dozen

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 3 sticks of unsalted butter room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups slivered almonds
• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Pulse the almonds in a food processor until fine. Do not overprocess. Transfer almonds to a large bowl. Add butter, sugar and vanilla and beat together.
• Stir in the flour until combined. Form the dough into balls the size of golf balls. Place onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes, then remove from oven.
• Using the back of a fork, smash the cookies down, making a crisscross pattern. Return to the oven and bake another 2-4 minutes, until slightly golden on the bottom.
• Cool the cookies on a wire rack. Once cooled, dip them in powdered sugar to coat both sides.

Keyword cookies, dessert, holiday

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