Almond Croissant Cookies (Printable View)
Buttery, tender cookies filled with almond paste, topped with sliced almonds and a dusting of powdered sugar.
# What You Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
02 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
06 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
07 - ¼ teaspoon salt
→ Almond Filling
08 - 1 cup finely ground almonds (almond meal)
09 - ½ cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
12 - ½ teaspoon almond extract
13 - Pinch of salt
→ Topping
14 - ½ cup sliced almonds
15 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer until pale, light, and fluffy—about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until a soft, cohesive dough forms. Cover and chill the dough while preparing the filling.
04 - In a small bowl, combine the finely ground almonds, granulated sugar, egg, softened butter, almond extract, and a pinch of salt. Stir until a thick, spreadable paste forms.
05 - Scoop approximately 1 tablespoon of chilled dough and flatten it in the palm of your hand. Place ½ teaspoon of the almond filling in the center, then fold the dough around it, gently shaping it into a crescent to resemble a mini croissant. Place on the prepared baking sheets, seam side down.
06 - Gently press sliced almonds onto the top of each shaped cookie, pressing lightly so they adhere to the surface.
07 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the edges are a warm golden brown. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
08 - Allow the cookies to cool completely on the wire rack. Dust generously with powdered sugar just before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dough comes together in one bowl and the filling is just a quick stir, so you get bakery level flavor without bakery level stress.
- They look like something you would find in a Parisian pastry case but require zero laminating, folding, or early morning alarm clocks.
02 -
- Underbaking these by even a minute too few leaves the centers doughy rather than soft and chewy, so wait until you see real golden color at the edges.
- Chilling the dough while you make the filling is not optional, because warm dough will spread into flat puddles instead of holding those pretty crescent shapes.
03 -
- Try rubbing a tiny bit of orange zest into the sugar before mixing the filling, because the citrus brightness against the deep almond flavor is something most people will not expect and will absolutely ask about.
- For extra tenderness and a more complex nutty flavor, replace half the all purpose flour with finely ground almonds, which essentially turns the whole cookie into an amplified version of itself.