How to Make Chinese Almond Cookies

Almonds give a distinct flavor to many dishes.

Chinese almond cookies are not always known as cookies. These delicate sweets are also known as biscuits or cakes. Almond cookies in China developed without the use of dairy as an ingredient. And while today cookbooks and recipes are numerous and easy to access, that was not always the case in years past. The Chinese almond cookie recipe was part of a tradition where the information on how to make the cookie was passed down from one generation to the next.

Things You'll Need

• Medium sized pot
• Ice water
• 2 small bowls
• Colander
• 1/3 cup raw almonds
• Knife
• 2 cups rice flour
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup almond oil
• Large mixing bowl
• Wooden mixing spoon
• 2 eggs
• Fork
• Cookie cutters of various shapes
• Rolling pin
• Cookie sheet
• Cooling rack
• Airtight container

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to medium.

2. Pour the ice water in a small bowl and put it in the fridge to keep it cold.

3. Bring water in a pot to a rolling boil and set the almonds in the water for at least three minutes, but no more than five minutes

4. Remove the ice water from the fridge. Drain the almonds in the colander and immediately place them in the ice water.

5. Drain the almonds in the colander and pop off their skins by squeezing one end of the almond. Discard the skins.

6. Chop the almonds to a fine consistency.

7. Combine rice flour, powdered sugar and chopped almonds in the large mixing bowl with the mixing spoon. Then mix in the almond oil.

8. Beat the two eggs in the small bowl with the fork. Mix the beaten eggs into the mixture.

9. Remove the dough from the bowl, placing it on a clean flat surface. Roll it flat to ¼-inch thickness with the rolling pin.

10. Cut out the cookies, and place them on the cookie sheet.

11. Bake the almond cookies for one hour.

12. Remove the almond cookies from the oven and set them on a cooling rack.

13. Store the almond cookies in the airtight container, when they have cooled.

Tips & Warnings

• Decorate the top of each almond cookie with a blanched almond half before baking.

• After adding the eggs, if the mixture is too hard to stir into a consistent mixture, add another beaten egg.

References

• The Nut Factory: Interesting Almond Facts
• "Chinese-Japanese Cookbook"; Sara Bosse, Onoto Watanna; 1914
• Homemade Dessert Recipes; Chinese Almond Cake (Cookie) Recipe; Donald R. Bell

Resources

• University of California at Los Angeles: Chinese Food and Drink