Ho, ho, ho! Santa Claus is coming soon- do you know which cookies you’ll be baking for him? We sure do! Normally, I’d be baking these M&M Cookies, a Christmas tradition in our family, but this year, I’ve decided on a new favorite! These soft, chewy, sugary cookies with a gloriously subtle and delicate almond flavor, and sparkly, crunchy sugar all over the outside…..WHAT. A. COOKIE! We hosted a Christmas party this weekend and I transformed into a baking fiend. I baked these amazing almond cookies, my favorite M&M cookies mentioned above, and shortbreads with pistachios, cranberries, and white chocolate (can’t wait to share those with you!). They were all amazing, but my hands-down favorite were these soft almond cookies.
Normally, I’m not a huge fan of anything with almond extract, but I decided to make these anyway, because my big sis loves it. I’m so glad I took a chance! Not only are these beautiful, they’re downright DE-licious! Try them this Christmas! Santa Claus will thank you! 
Soft and Chewy Almond Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour**
1 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
coarse decorating sugar, for rolling the cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream sugar and butter. Stir in eggs, almond extract, and vanilla. Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt and add to butter/egg mixture.
Form dough into walnut sized balls and roll in decorating sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheet and press down to flatten slightly. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Bake for 8 minutes; cookies should not brown much at all- do not overbake.
**If you don’t have cake flour, all purpose will work fine
Recipe source: adapted from Confections from the Cody Kitchen
Those look and sound great!! I will be making these this Christmas.
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Comment by Amy B. — December 10, 2012 @ 3:54 PM
i love almond anything! must remember these!
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Comment by natalie@thesweetslife — December 10, 2012 @ 8:30 PM
I live in Australia so I’m not sure if it’s a cultural difference or not but would cake flour be equivalent to self-raising flour??
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amy Reply:
December 10th, 2012 at 10:01 PM
No, it’s not the same. You’ll be just fine to use all purpose. Just use a little bit extra corn starch (a half teaspoon should do it).
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Comment by Ashlee Jackson — December 10, 2012 @ 9:50 PM
Sooo goood!! I want more – can you bake a batch & bring me some to go with my coffee this morning?
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Comment by mother — December 11, 2012 @ 8:49 AM
We’ll definitely be making these for Santa Claus. Thank you!
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Comment by Heather — December 11, 2012 @ 4:34 PM
[...] Christmas cookies! I posted these recently over at Sing For Your Supper. [...]
Pingback by Some Christmas Cheer… | A Little Something Lovely — December 13, 2012 @ 1:21 PM
How Make Chewy Almond…
[...] ecorating sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheet and press down to flatten sligh [...]…
Trackback by Almond Flour Pie Crust Blog — December 13, 2012 @ 2:31 PM
These are so right up my alley. Soft and pillowy with almond flavor. YUM! Your presentation and photos are beautiful, too
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Comment by Kelsey — December 17, 2012 @ 1:59 PM
I’m a recent almond flavor convert. Love to put it in our annual Christmas pizzelle! YUM!! These cookies seem so simple yet are so beautiful, Amy.
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Comment by Nikki @Pennies on a Platter — December 18, 2012 @ 8:24 AM
These are Yummy! The Almond really gives it that BANG! We used raw sugar.
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