This has to be my absolute favorite sugar cookie recipe. I mean we’re talking simple, quick and oh so tasty. With Christmas right around the corner, I’m always trying to bake a plethora of different cookies over the course of the holiday season so when I come across a delicious, easy recipe, I jump for joy.
I just love the subtle hints of almond and vanilla you can taste as well as their chewiness rather than a stiff crunchy sugar cookie. The snowflake is made using vanilla flavored candy discs that were melted and poured into pastry bags. Mmm and it tasted just like white chocolate! Doesn’t get much better than that, huh? Bake these for your friends and loved ones, package them up with pretty ribbon and they are sure to impress. Happy Holidays!
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Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookies
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
Description
These sugar cookies are subtly flavored with almond and vanilla, offering a chewy texture rather than the typical crunch. Perfect for holiday gifting or enjoying with loved ones.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (720 ml) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup (240 ml) sugar
- 2 sticks (240 ml) salted butter, cold
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
- Wilton's white candy melts
- White sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a separate bowl, combine the 3 cups of all-purpose flour and 2 tsp of baking powder. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, cream together 1 cup of sugar and 2 sticks of cold, salted butter until light and fluffy.
- Add 1 egg, 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp of pure almond extract to the butter mixture. Mix until well combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
- Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt Wilton’s white candy melts according to package instructions. Pour the melted candy into a pastry bag and pipe snowflake designs onto the cooled cookies.
- Sprinkle with white sparkling sugar while the candy melts are still wet to add a festive touch.
Notes
- These cookies are perfect for gifting; package them with a ribbon for a festive touch.
- For a chocolate twist, consider using chocolate candy melts instead.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 90
- Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 25
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the recipe use cold, salted butter rather than softened unsalted butter?
I use 2 sticks of cold, salted butter creamed with the sugar; cold butter creates smaller fat pockets in the dough that give the cookies a slightly denser, chewier texture — which I specifically prefer over the stiff, crunchy texture of typical sugar cookies.
What are Wilton’s white candy melts and how do I use them to pipe the snowflake decoration?
Wilton candy melts are vanilla-flavored wafers that melt smoothly without requiring tempering — they taste just like white chocolate. Melt them according to the package instructions, pour into a pastry bag, pipe snowflake designs onto fully cooled cookies, and immediately sprinkle with white sparkling sugar before the melts set.
How long do these cookies keep?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, which makes them a practical choice for holiday baking and gift packaging.
how many does this recipe make?
Gorgeous cookies!! And so festive too.
they are beautiful!