Almond shortbread is the classic buttery shortbread made with fresh nutty almonds and sweet almond extract. This almond shortbread cookie recipe is easy to make and is the perfect simple cookie for any occasion.
Jump to:
Why Should You Make This Recipe
One of my favorite types of cookies to make are soft and buttery shortbread style cookies. My Rosemary Shortbread Cookies, Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, Blood Orange Cookie Bars, Cherry Cookies, Key Lime Cookies and Lavender Cookies are a few of my favorite shortbread style cookie recipes on the blog. These buttery almond filled shortbread cookies are another delicious addition I know you’ll because:
- They are quick and easy to make. All you need to do is mix everything up in a food processor, press into the prepared pan, bake, slice and enjoy.
- Layers of flavor and texture. From the soft, buttery and slightly crumbly shortbread and to the sweet aroma of nutty almond and crunchy sugar topping these shortbread cookies are simply delicious.
Ingredients
This recipe for shortbread with almonds requires only a handful of pantry basics to make. Make sure you have these ingredients ready to go.
Gather all purpose flour, almond flour, salt, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract and butter.
Substitutions
Here are my recommended substitutions to make these wonderfully buttery shortbread almond cookies.
- Granulated and Powdered Sugar: This recipe hasn’t been tested using alternative sugars. However, I love using maple sugar as a refined sugar free option in my other cookie recipes. Maple sugar bakes very similarly to light brown sugar.
- All purpose flour: This recipe hasn’t been tested with only an alternative flour. However, if you want to make this recipe gluten free, use a good 1-1 flour and measure by weight (270 g) rather than cups.
- Almond Flour: Blanched almond flour is the correct flour to use in this recipe. Almond meal will make the cookies coarser and grittier.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Almond Extract: I highly recommend using the almond extract for the best shortbread cookies.
- Unsalted Butter: You can use the same amount of salted butter as written in the recipe, but omit the added salt.
Variations
- Almond Glaze: Top these almonds shortbread cookie bars with an easy almond glaze. Mix 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) milk and ½ teaspoon almond extract with 1 ¼ cups (150 g) powdered sugar until smooth and well combined. Glaze the the cookie bars after they have cooled completely and enjoy.
- Slice and Bake Shortbread Almond Cookies: To make these as slice and bake cookies, simply roll the cookie dough into a log shape. Chill the cookie dough for 1 hour. Slice the cookies ¼ inch for crispier cookies and ½ inch for softer cookies. Bake these cookies at 350 F (177 C) for about 8 -10 minutes.
- Shortbread Drop Cookies: To make these as drop cookies, simply scoop them into 1 inch cookie balls. Roll in sugar if you like and bake them at 350 F (177 C) for 12 -14 minutes or until lightly brown on the edges.
- Stand Mixer Option: Cream together the room temperature butter with the sugars for 2 -3 minutes on medium speed. Mix in the extracts and salt, followed by the flours. Mix until everything is just incorporated. Then mix in any stray pieces of flour my hand or with a spoon. Follow the rest of the recipe as written.
How To Make
Learn how to make almond shortbread cookies in a few easy steps.
- Add all purpose flour, almond flour, sugar, powdered sugar, and salt to a food processor. Pulse to combine the ingredients. Add the cold cubed butter to the flour and sugars. Pulse to fully combine the butter until the texture becomes crumbly. Add the vanilla and almond extracts to the flour, butter and sugars. Pulse to combine the extracts into the cookie dough mixture.
- Evenly press the shortbread cookie dough mixture into the a lined or lightly greased 9 inch tart pan. Transfer the tart pan to chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes while the oven fully preheats. While the almond shortbread chills, heat the oven to 300 F (149 C) for 20 - 30 minutes. Once the shortbread has chilled and is ready to bake, lightly score the dough to the shape, size and number of pieces you would like to cut after baking. This step is optional. Top the shortbread with sugar.
3. Bake the shortbread almond cookies for 40 - 45 minutes or until the edges are a light golden brown. Cool the shortbread rosemary bars in the pan for 30 -45 minutes or until fully cooled to room temperature. Once cooled, remove the shortbread from the tart pan, slice and enjoy.
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Store: These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 - 5 days.
- Freezes: Once the shortbread has baked and has fully cooled to room temperature, place the baked shortbread into an airtight, freezer safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw: Transfer your desired amount of frozen almond shortbread cookies onto a plate to thaw at room temperature for a few hours or heat them in the microwave for 20 - 30 seconds from frozen.
M’s Expert Tips
- Grease the pan. Grease or line the bottom and/or two sides of the pan to help release the shortbread more easily.
- Mix the flour until just combined. I like to mix the butter into the flour and sugar just there are a few stray pieces of flour coated butter. Then I mix the rest by hand or with a flexible spatula.
- Dock the cookie dough. This allow the steam to escape more easily and gives the cookies that classic shortbread look.
- Fully preheat the oven. Use an oven thermometer to double check the temperature.
- Evenly press the cookie dough into the pan. To ensure the cookie dough bakes evenly, take the time to press the cookie dough into the pan, checking that the thickness is the same around the entire pan.
- Optional Toppings: Top the shortbread with sliced almonds before baking. After baking and cooling, slice the cookies to your desired size or shape. Drizzle melted chocolate on top of the cooled cookies.
- Fully cool the shortbread almond bars. Before topping the bars with a glaze or before cutting the cookie bars.
FAQs
These shortbread cookie bars with almonds taste like classic buttery shortbread with a sweet, nutty background flavor of almonds. To make them more sweet, add an almond glaze to the top.
To make these as slice and bake cookies, simply roll the cookie dough into a log shape. Chill the cookie dough for 1 hour. Slice the cookies ¼ inch for crispier cookies and ½ inch for softer cookies. Bake these cookies at 350 F (177 C) for about 8 -10 minutes. To make these as drop cookies, simply scoop them into 1 inch cookie balls. Roll in sugar if you like and bake them at 350 F (177 C) for 12 -14 minutes or until lightly brown on the edges.
This recipe for almond shortbread cookies closely follows this rule, but does vary a bit. The traditional rule for shortbread follows the 1-2-3 or 3-2-1 rule as a way to measure the ratio of sugar, butter and flour. This shortbread almond cookie recipe uses 90 g sugar, 200 g butter and 300 grams blend of all purpose and almond flour. To follow the 3-2-1 rule for this recipe, use 100 grams sugar, 200 grams butter and 300 grams flour.
Do not overwork the dough. In fact, when possible, mix the flour into the dough by hand. If using an electric mixer, mix the flour last and just until the flour is incorporated. Then work the rest in by hand.
Other Almond Recipes To Try
- Almond Croissant
- Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Almond Cake
- Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
- Almond Flour Brownies
If you try this Almond Shortbread recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! - M
Almond Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- 1 food processor (see notes for the mixer option)
- 1 9 inch (23 cm) tart pan
Ingredients
- 2¼ cup (270 g) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (30 g) almond flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, plus more for topping
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons 14 tablespoons (141 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) almond extract
Instructions
- Add all purpose flour, almond flour, sugar, powdered sugar, and salt to a food processor. Pulse to combine the ingredients. Add the cold cubed butter to the flour and sugars. Pulse to fully combine the butter until the texture becomes crumbly. Add the vanilla and almond extracts to the flour, butter and sugars. Pulse to combine the extracts into the cookie dough mixture.2¼ cup (270 g) all purpose flour, ¼ cup (30 g) almond flour, ¼ teaspoon salt , ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar , ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, plus more for topping, ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons 14 tablespoons (141 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed , 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , 2 teaspoons (10 ml) almond extract
- Evenly press the shortbread cookie dough mixture into the a lined or lightly greased 9 inch tart pan. Transfer the tart pan to chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.While the almond shortbread chills, heat the oven to 300 F (149 C) for 20 - 30 minutes.
- Once the shortbread has chilled and is ready to bake, slice the dough to the shape, size and number of pieces you would like to cut after baking. This step is optional. Top the shortbread with sugar.
- Bake the shortbread almond cookies for 40 - 45 minutes or until the edges are a light golden brown. Cool the shortbread rosemary bars in the pan for 30 -45 minutes or until fully cooled to room temperature. Once cooled, remove the shortbread from the tart pan, slice and enjoy.
Leave a Reply