Almond Brown-Sugar Cookies

From the kitchen of Carly

Chewy brown sugar cookies studded with whole almonds, crisp at the edges and tender in the middle. The nuttiness plays beautifully against deep molasses notes. Slice and bake from the freezer for fresh cookies anytime.

Almond Brown-Sugar Cookies

Brown sugar brings caramel depth to these slice-and-bake cookies, while whole almonds stay crunchy against a buttery, almost melting crumb. The dough chills into a log that slices thin and delicate, which is the whole trick: keep your knife sharp, your hand steady, and your oven at an even 350 degrees. These are not overly sweet, more toasty than anything else.

Prep
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Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1 1/2 cupall-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tspbaking soda
  • 1/4 tspsalt
  • 1 stickunsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cuppacked light brown sugar
  • 1 largeegg
  • 1 tsppure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cupwhole blanched almonds

Instructions

  1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in the egg and vanilla. Switch to low speed and mix in the flour mixture until a dough just comes together, then fold in the whole almonds. Split the dough in half and, using a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper to help shape it, roll each portion into a log 9 to 9 1/2 inches long and about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, at least 4 hours, then transfer to the freezer for 30 minutes to make slicing easier.

  2. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut one log crosswise into slices less than 1/8 inch thick, giving the log a quarter-turn after each cut to keep the rounds from flattening. If the dough softens too much to slice cleanly through the almonds, pop it back in the freezer for a few minutes. Lay the cookies about 1/2 inch apart on the prepared sheets.

  3. Slide both sheets into the oven and bake 12 to 15 minutes total, swapping their positions at the halfway point, until the cookies are golden brown all over. Lift the parchment sheets with the cookies onto wire racks and let them cool completely.

  4. Cool the baking sheets, line them with fresh parchment, and repeat the slicing and baking process with the remaining log of dough.

Tips from the kitchen

  • A thin, sharp knife matters more than you'd think. Dip it in hot water and wipe it dry between slices to get clean edges through the almonds without dragging or crumbling.
  • If your dough log is warm and slices are falling apart, pop it back in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Dough that's too soft won't slice properly around the nuts.
  • Switching your baking sheets halfway through (top to bottom, bottom to top) prevents one sheet from browning faster than the other, which happens in almost every oven.

Variations

  • Halve the almonds and add finely grated lemon zest to the dough for a brighter flavor that still lets the brown sugar lead.
  • Swap half the almonds for toasted hazelnuts, or skip the nuts entirely and press a small piece of dark chocolate into the top of each cookie before baking.
  • Brown the butter before creaming it with the sugar, which deepens the nuttiness and adds complexity that almonds already hint at.
  • Roll the chilled dough log in coarse sugar or a mixture of cinnamon and sugar before slicing for a textured, sparkly surface.

Make ahead and storage

Cooled cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. The dough logs freeze beautifully for up to three months, so slice and bake whenever you want a fresh batch without mixing anything from scratch.