Chinese Almond Butter Cookies combine the best of two worlds. Two classic cookies that are softly crunchy and they will have you licking your lips.
Two, two, two cookies in one! Can you count the times you’ve bought a box of Chinese Almond Cookies? They are delicious and celebrate the Chinese New Year so well.
It’s coming up already, in early February. I also didn’t want this cookie to be relegated to one time of the year so ‘enter almond butter’.
The cookies turned out softly crunchy and they also have slivered almonds as an adornment.
Chinese Almond Cookies are pretty much a basic cookie dough with almond extract instead of vanilla and almonds to strengthen the flavor.
You can’t go wrong with that but then add almond butter and the cookie gets even better.
The extra care shows your friends and family that you’ve gone the extra mile for them and that equals smiles for everyone including yourself.
Since these are also vegan cookies then I need to stress getting organic sugars just to make sure that they haven’t been filtered with bone char. I hate to even bring that up but ‘certified organic’ is always a good thing anyway.
This is a really simple recipe but it will probably be easier if you use a hand mixer or an electric stand mixer since you do want to get the sugar and dairy-free butter light and fluffy.
You might think that the mix of the two wouldn’t get light and fluffy but believe me they do.
Health Benefits for Almond Butter
- Almond butter is high in protein to keep you going and your body healthy. That includes copper, Vitamin B2, and riboflavin.
- About 1/4 cup of almond butter a week shows to reduce coronary heart disease by about 35%.
- It helps keep your blood sugar stable.
- A bonus is that vitamin E is included which contains antioxidant power.
- There is even magnesium and potassium. Always good for your heart and blood pressure.
Other Ways to Enjoy Almond Butter in Your Recipes
- Vegan Buttermilk Pancakes with Almond Butter Maple Syrup is delicious and you must keep the syrup recipe for waffles too.
- No Bake Almond Butter Protein Bars will always make your snack a real pleasure to enjoy.
- Rice Krispies Almond Butter Balls are made with vegan rice crispies and are a wonderful sweet treat.
My egg substitute of choice is chia eggs. They gel-up so nice and really do a great job in lightening up the dough when baking.
You can also use white chia seeds and that really helps keep the cookies light. It really isn’t a problem with the little black chia seeds though.
Helpful Tools
- Baking Sheet – It’s not so pretty anymore but I still love stainless steel!
- Mixing Bowls – Good old fashioned glass bowls … used daily!
- Cooling Racks – I like the narrower size for storing!
Now that you have your home smelling like a bakery go ahead and bring in your friends and loved ones.
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Chinese Almond Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dairy-free butter, softened
- 1 cup creamy almond butter
- 3/4 cup organic brown sugar
- 1/2 cup organic sugar
- 1 tablespoon dairy-free milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon chia seed or flax seed meal as an egg substitute
- 3 tablespoons water, used for the chia seed or flax seed meal egg
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix your egg substitute according to package directions. I use a chia egg which is 1 tablespoon chia flour and 3 tablespoons water. To make the flour you need to grind chia seeds to a fine meal. The flour keeps perfectly in the freezer for future use. Set the prepared egg aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer beat together the vegan butter and almond butter until smooth.
- Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy. About 5 minutes.
- Add the nondairy milk, vanilla, and egg substitute. Mix until combined.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt and mix just until blended. Do not overwork.
- Scoop dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon mounds and put on a baking sheet about 2" apart.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes or until the edges are just barely golden. You want to keep them light and soft.
- Cool on a wire rack.
Notes
Nutrition
There is a website that I would love to share with you. From Bon Appetit, of course! It is their “Out of the Kitchen” series with interesting stories and occasional recipes from food artisans who care.
I made the series 🙂 with these Chinese Almond Butter Cookies as a matter of fact. Super exciting!
Ginny McMeans
I did lightly sprinkle some on top before baking Jonathan and then sprinkles more for the pic.
Jonathan
Do you put the slivered almonds on before baking?
Ginny McMeans
I have found (in other recipes also) that different coconut sugars make the batter browner than others. You could use organic white sugar and they would always be white.
fita
why mine turned out brown? i want they turn out white like yours
Kristina
oooh, I LOVE this cookie mashup! I can almost taste these now – I am imagining the Chinese almond cookie, and I have a favorite almond butter cookie… saving this one to make soon, thank you!
Emily
These cookies sound wonderful!
Lucy @ Supergoldenbakes
That bakery sounds fantastic. Loving the ingredients in your cookies they do look good. I like your use of almond butter here too – a nutty flavour boost.
Brian Jones
They sound super, they also look really light and soft.
Luci's Morsels
I am totally drooling over these! They look absolutely delicious! I have to try these now!
Heather
Hi, Ginny, just wanted to respond back to say: yes, it does help. And for the Chia Seeds, some don’t grind them, it was my mistake to not read that part about them being meal. I mainly just read the ingredients list to see if I need to buy anything extra 🙂
Ginny McMeans
Hi Heather, chia seed meal (as I have described in the recipe) sets up in seconds. Maybe you are confusing your information with flax egg. As for the almond flour – typically substitute the same measurement of almond flour for the all-purpose flour. Hope this helps.
Heather
Hi, just stumbled upon your site, do you know if I can use the same amount of Almond flour in place of the all-purpose? The almond flour I use is from Nuts.com and they have the same very finely ground almonds as Honeyville’s brand of almond flour… I probably could find out if I went to Honeyville’s site, but they may be like “only ours works best for these recipes, don’t bother with other almond flours.” because Bob’s Red Mills they are more of a meal than a flour.
Other than that question: these look delicious!!! I’ve read from a few foodie bloggers about a Chia egg, that it should be let set about 12 hours… I’m not sure if I wanna wait that long, I then may lose the mood to bake… yes I have to be in the mood to bake, it’s more fun… and so much more enjoyable.
I absolutely love almonds, it’s my favorite… other than cashews; second, hazelnuts; third, walnuts;fourth.
Ginny McMeans
Ahhh, You’re the best Jaren 🙂
Jaren (Diary of a Recipe Collector)
These look like the best cookies!
Ginny McMeans
🙂 Thanks and I think you would really love them!
Nutmeg Nanny
These little cookies look so simple but totally delicious! I would love to treat myself to a few of these right now 🙂
Cookin Canuck
It’s amazing what a smile will do to cheer up the day – whether given or received. I love how healthy these cookies are!
Ginny McMeans
Ahhh, thanks so much Angie!
Angie
These look great so healthy and i love what your mom says about a smile. so inspirational!
Ginny McMeans
That makes me feel great Lauren. Thanks so much!
Ginny McMeans
Cooool!!! We’ll not the weather 🙂 I actually live about an hour out but you know I have to shop and go to bakeries 🙂 Thanks so much!
Ginny McMeans
You hit the nail on the head Laura! Thanks so much.
lauren Kelly Nutrition
Oh Ginny, these are so up my alley! I love the ingredients!
The Food Hunter
You live in Phoenix?? Me too! these cookie sound wonderful
Laura O @PetiteAllergyTreats
These look crisp on the outside but soft and chewy inside! Love the best of both worlds!