Almond Crunch Cookies

From the kitchen of Carly

Buttery cookies studded with toasted almonds and candied almond crunch, spiked with amaretto for subtle depth. The texture contrast between tender cookie and crispy almond shards makes these impossible to stop eating. Perfect with coffee.

Almond Crunch Cookies

The trick is toasting half the almonds with powdered sugar until they candy, then folding them into a tender butter dough alongside finely ground raw almonds. The result is a cookie with actual texture, not just flavor, plus the caramel notes that make people ask what you did different. Amaretto adds depth without announcing itself.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 3 cupslivered almonds, toasted 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 largeegg whites
  • 1 1/2 cupall purpose flour
  • 1 tspbaking soda
  • 1/2 tspsalt
  • 1 cupunsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cupsugar
  • 3 tbspamaretto liqueur
  • 1 tspvanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a large heavy baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop 1 1/2 cups of the almonds into a large bowl and sift 1/2 cup of powdered sugar over the top; toss to coat. Whisk 1 egg white in a small bowl just to break it up, then add 1 tablespoon of the whisked white to the nuts and toss to combine. Spread everything in an even layer across the prepared sheet and bake until the almonds are golden and the coating is dry, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

  2. Tip the candied almonds into a food processor and pulse, using on/off turns, until most are coarsely chopped with some fine crumbs mixed in. Move the chopped mixture to a small bowl.

  3. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment. Finely chop the remaining 1 1/2 cups of slivered almonds in the processor. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and blend until the nuts are very finely ground.

  4. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter, 3/4 cup sugar, and the remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar until well combined. Add the remaining 2 egg whites along with the amaretto and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Gradually mix in the flour-almond mixture, then stir in the chopped candied almonds.

  5. Working in 2 batches with a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop level 2-tablespoon mounds of dough onto the lined sheets, spacing 2 inches apart and aiming for about 12 mounds per sheet. Bake until the cookies turn golden brown, about 14 minutes. Let them firm up briefly on the sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. The cookies keep airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Toast and coat the almonds in powdered sugar and egg white for the full 10 minutes, even if they look dry sooner, so the coating sets and breaks into real crunch.
  • Grind your raw almonds finely in the food processor with the flour and leavening before mixing the wet ingredients, so they distribute evenly and stay tender.
  • Let the dough mounds rest on the hot baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to the rack, they firm up just enough to handle without cracking.
  • These cookies spread minimally because of the nut content, so don't skimp on spacing. Two inches apart gives you room to maneuver and prevents edges from merging.

Variations

  • Swap the amaretto for the same amount of Frangelico or almond extract (use 1 teaspoon extract) for a roasted hazelnut bend.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of cardamom or a pinch of cayenne to the dry ingredients for warmth and complexity.
  • Toast some sesame seeds and fold them in with the candied almonds for a nuttier, savory tilt.
  • Replace half the candied almonds with chopped dark chocolate chips if you want richness to compete with the almonds.

Make ahead and storage

Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freezing works well for up to 2 months, thaw in the container to avoid condensation softening the crunch.