It's been said that the lard is what produces the traditional taste. However, if desired, butter or margarine may be substituted for very satisfactory results.

Chinese Restaurant Almond Cookies

all-purpose flour

white sugar

baking soda

salt

lard

almond extract

almonds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).


Sift flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together into a bowl. Cut in the lard until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add egg and almond extract. Mix well.


Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Set them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Place an almond on top of each cookie and press down to flatten slightly.


Bake in the preheated oven until the edges of the cookies are golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.


I also used half butter and half (butter-flavored) Crisco. Fabulous results, but I must mention I made half shaped as balls, and put half through my cookie press. I strongly preferred the latter. The presentation was nice, but the crunch of the little ones was awesome! For those, I used an interesting disk shape, and arranged almond slices on top to go along with the design. Beautiful! I'll go heavier on the extract next time.

these were so easy and they tasted great.
I rolled the dough into a log and chilled it. Then I used my Pampered Chef crinkle cutter to cut them into about 1/4" slices. Placed a couple almond slices on each one and baked them. My mother-in-law asked me where I bought them. 
:-) how cool is that!

I was looking for the chinese almond cookie recipe for my 11 yr old daughter(she loves those cookies).  I followed the recipe per the directions, even using the lard.  I was very skeptical about these, but alas, I really enjoyed them. And my children, especially the 11 yr old, loved them (as well as my 5 yr old nephew, who kept asking, "Auntie can I get another cookie", Over and Over again.  I had some pop up guest and they really enjoyed these cookies.  One even took some home.  I will try the butter/shortening combo to see if it will also be a hit.  Thanks, for the recipe.

I've made these a number of times and they are absolutly wonderful.  I always up the extract by at least 3 fold.  For those that have crumbly dough, maybe try using a larger egg (like jumbo). It could add just enough moisture to help keep it together.

After reading EVERY review I decided to make these cookies using butter and crisco (I had never cooked with lard before so why start now right?).  While the cookie came out quite tasty, it was far from authentic.  If you are going for authenticity you absolutely MUST use lard, yellow food coloring (10 drops) and egg wash for the tops of the cookies.  Once you roll the cookies into 1 inch balls - DO NOT use your hands to flatten cookies (the egg wash will sink into the grooves placed by your fingers and the result will be a striped cookie), use a small glass or other cookie flattening object.  I flattened mine to about 1/4 inch.  When egg washing, be sure to only do the tops and not the sides. 325 degrees for 20 minutes was perfect.  The cookies came out nice and crisp.  I also found that the next day they tasted even better!

I just made these, and they are so...o good.  It is exactly how these cookies are suppose to turn out.  I am Chinese and I got to say, this receipe was on the dot.  The only change I made which was suggested was add 2 more teaspoons of almond extract.  I used almond slices instead of whole almonds, since thats how they sell them in Chinese stores.  Also, as suggested in another review, I flattened them with a glass and brushed egg wash.  They came out fantastic.

great recipe, the cookies taste exactly like those i bought in chinese bakery, and easy to make too. i did increase the amount of almond extract to 3 tsp though.

These cookies are so good, you can't stop eating them! I didn't have lard. 
We used half butter and half Crisco. They were still awesome!

Fantastic!  I would only add these few points:
1. If using raw almonds, don't forget to roast them first
2. Make 1 day in advance of when you need them as they'll taste even better the 2nd day as the ALmond flavor will really set in.
3. Make an egg wash to swipe over the cookies before going in the oven. Egg wash= 1 yolk + 1tbsp of water. Mix and use. 
Happy baking!

These are excellent and easy! I used butter instead of lard. Many thanks Rosina!

I ate these cookies all the time while growing up in BKLYN. This recipe is very close to bakery perfection. I did make some adjustments though - I added the chopped walnuts to the flour mixture and added an 1/8 of teaspoon of pure almond extract along with the vanilla and Boy oh Boy were they the BOMB!!! Thanks

I made these cookies for a potluck, and they were a major hit!  People were raving about my cookies for weeks, I couldn't believe it!  I reduced the amount of sugar when I made them, and used butter instead of lard.  They still tasted fantastic, as my colleagues attested!  When I made my first batch, some of my cookies had slightly burnt bottoms.  I had to keep a careful eye out when I made the rest of my batches.  All in all, though, I will definitely make these again in the future.

Needed to make changes to recipe,  after reading reviews it was obvious that the dough was going to be too dry.  So I was careful not to add all the flour and at 2 1/4 cups it started to get crumbly.  Did use 3 tsp of almond extract as well.  Baked with egg wash on top it also helped hold the almond in place and gave the cookie a more traditional appearance, kept in oven for 20 min till light golden brown.  With all the recommended changes it was a nice Chinese cookie.

I grew up eating chinese almond cookies so I am familiar with how it looks and tastes. I did not have any lard so I used 1/2 butter and 1/2 crisco flavored butter. I wanted more almond flavoring so I added 2 T of almond extract. I hand rolled each dough into 1 inch balls and placed onto ungreased baking sheet. I did use an eggwash to brush over the top of the cookies to give it that golden brown color on top. Baking time was 18 minutes for my gas oven. The cookies were a nice golden color, round in shape and tasty just like how I remember it. It was full of yummy almond flavor and had a nice little crunch to it. I should point out that you need to make sure you roll the dough into 1 inch balls becuase they do  expand while baking. My only criticism of this recipe is that it states it yields 4 dozen or 48 cookies and I ended up with 27 cookies. This is a good recipe and ended my night perfectly after eating the asian beef skewers with sesame noodles (all from this website).

The first time I made these, they were very tasteless. I used coconut oil in place of the lard. The second time I made them I used butter, and 3 tablespoons of almond extract. They were AWESOME the second time. Love them!!

I feel really bad giving these such a low rating (especially where SO many people really loved this recipe) but these cookies just DID NOT turn out for me. I'm not sure if the problem lies in the moisture level of my flour (that can affect a recipe in a big way). The dough was so terribly crumbly that I couldn't form it into a ball at all so I added a bit more egg but the texture was funny. I used to do the baking for a chinese restaurant and almond cookies were something I made a lot of. The outcome of this recipe was nothing like the ones I used to make. :-( Sorry, but like I said, considering all the great reviews, there is a good possibility that the fault lies with my ingredients.

These cookies are very good.  I did add 2 extra tsp. of almond as per other reviewer's suggestions.  And used 1/2 butter, 1/2 Crisco as there is never any lard in my kitchen.  We are having them tonight after our Chinese New Year celebration dinner.  I hope my husband will love them as much as I do!

I was looking for a recipe that Chinese restaurants served (freshly made, not from a box or package) and this is it with a bit of tweaking.  Mine looked nothing like the picture, of the submitter.  The dough was too crumbly and the egg and triple almond extract did nothing much to bind the cornmeal-like dry ingredients.  I also added an extra 1/2 cup sugar so perhaps this is the reason why it was so dry.  I used Crisco instead of lard and I had doubts at first as someone else stated.  I added more shortening to make the dough a little more dough-like.  Then used a medium ice cream scoop to drop level fulls to the cookie sheet, then using my hands to flatten.  I omitted the almond as it is just for looks and did a egg-wash.  I baked for 20 minutes until lightly browned and they are the perfect texture and the taste, MMGOOD!

Delicious! I used margarine instead of lard and baked for 20 minutes.

THANK YOU!!! These were sooooo good they didn't last long. Hubby and kid approved. I will be making these again very soon. The only thing i did different is add 1 tsp. extra of almond extract.

My kids loved helping make this recipe, AND it had a wonderful flavor just as it is. We didnt have whole almonds, just slivered ones and they made 'flowers' with them on the tops. I made this recipe again, used 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup shortning instead of a full cup shortning. I also substituted 1/2 tsp vanilla plus 1/2 tsp almond extract just because I was lacking in extract, and they came out amazingly light, and still wonderfully flavorful!

I made these for my daughter and her friends.  I stuck to the recipe pretty much except I did use a tablespoon of almond extract instead of a teaspoon.
I also added 1/4 c chopped toasted almonds to the mix and used toasted sliced almonds on top.  I rolled my dough into a log and cut 24 even slices and flattened with the bottom of my 1 cup measure and covered with the almonds. Wow is all I can say, thanks for a great recipe!

Excellant cookies. I made a double batch. I did use half butter and half shortening. I used the creaming method and added more almond extract. I used a #40 scoop and got 62 cookies that I pressed down with a crisscrross design with a fork. I did an egg wash and topped with toasted sliced almond before baking. Thanks for sharing.

These cookies turn out even better than the Chinese restaurant! Listen to the author, you MUST use Lard (also known as manteca) if you want them to turn out the same as the restaurant cookies. I also used extra almond extract (2 tsp.) since I love the flavor. 

Wow! These cookies are fantastic! The only thing I changed was adding about 1/3 cup finely chopped almonds and the egg wash that some other reviewers suggested. My kitchen hardly even got dirty. This is definitely a winner!

THE BEST Almond cookies I've ever eaten - light, crispy, tasty. Read previous reviews before baking. Checked cupboard for ingredients. Tweaked based on what I had on hand. Like others before me, I used 1/2 Crisco &amp; 1/2 butter (unsalted), 1 egg white, 3 tsps almond extract. Great right out of the oven, but even better the next day.

I still haven’t found a Chinese almond cookie that tastes quite like the store-bought ones.
I’ve also tried the Glazed Almond Cookies By Nancy and Almond Cookies III By Anne.

I’m giving this recipe 4 stars because it turned out to be the best of the three. I made them for a bake sale and was asked to make them again for a luncheon. Everyone seemed to enjoy them.
 
The second time around I found the best recipe was combining this recipe and the glazed almond cookies.

The cookies I’ve been trying to imitate are very yellow, don’t seem to have spread while baking and had an egg wash. So I put an egg yolk in the mixture and saved the white for glazing.

I used butter instead of lard. This may have been what caused them to spread.

I’m still looking for the perfect almond cookie recipe. 


Kind of hard to work with the dough.  I added a couple more eggs to make the dough easier to work with.  The taste was pretty good, though.

Made these for a Chinese book club meeting.  They were loved by all.  I did brush with egg before baking to get a golden glow as suggested.  I also used almond silvers which were the perfect amound.  I tripled the almond extract which made them flavorful.

used the egg wash, 2 tsps almond and baked for 15 mins. these were awesome!

I followed the recipe as written - they were absolutely fabulous!!  I made 3 batches in preparation for our Chinese New Year party.  This recipe is a keeper!!

Perfect little cookies. Made them exactly as directed... W/ butter. Making them again to send to my daughter who's away for the summer.

Very good. Lard may be authentic but crisco made a great cookie. Will use more almond flavoring next time and perhaps ground almonds in the dough. Will also try the tip of making a log and then cutting it.  The dough is a bit crumbly for making balls. We also like a bigger cookie came out with 42 cookies that took 30 minutes to bake.

Being born and raised in Hawaii we ate Almond cookies a lot when we were young. This cookie  recipe is the best and  brings back my younger days when I was back home in Hawaii Thank you

The dough is just like a bunch of flour and can't be made into cookies.  To add more moisture, I had to add an additional egg and 1/4 cup milk to the dough. Once I did that, I was able to make the cookies and they tasted great.

Truly are like the ones in Chinese Restaurant.  I did use 1 T. instead of 1 tsp. of almond extract, but otherwise followed recipe.  I did mix the egg and almond extract by hand at the end.

These cookies turned out delicious! The only things I changed a bit are as follows:  I used unsalted butter instead of lard, 3/4 cup white sugar &amp; 1/4 cup brown sugar and 3/4 Tablespoon of almond extract. My boyfriend who does not care for cookies or sweets loved them. I know it is a great recipe if it can please him! :) Thanks for the recipe!

These are really good-crumbly almost crunchy in texture.  I used half shortening and half butter with great results, and also added in 2 more teaspoons of almond extract.  I would suggest brushing the tops of the cookies with a beaten egg yolk after slightly flattening them with a flat bottom glass.  Make sure not to let the egg wash drip over the sides of the cookies.  Add an almond on top of each cookie as the last step (i.e. over the egg wash).   I baked these for 15 minutes and then on the low broiler mode for just about 3-4 minutes until the tops were lightly golden in color--perfect!

Yum. Just like in a chinese restaurant and so quick and easy to make.

DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT USE MARGARINE!! I substituted margarine for the lard and they were hard and not very tasty.  I'm going to give this another shot and use the lard, cross your fingers!!

This is an easy recipe but definitely NOT diabetic friendly. LOL  Extremely delicous and everybody I made them for raved about them.  I modified slightly by using butter instead of lard and I used doubled the almond extract.  I would love to make this using almond flour, and truvia (stevia) to improve the glicemic index for it.  This is a great recipe that tastes just like the cookies at the chinese restaurants locally.

These cookies are *YuMmErS*!  I used Crisco and added almost 2 tsp. of Almond extract (may use more next time).  Didn't put almonds on top, the extract was plenty.  Dough doesn't quite roll, had to squish it together, worked fine! My husband can't keep his hand out of the cookie jar! Definately a keeper!  Thanks!

It was a bit "eggy" so the next time I baked these, I just used the egg white only and also omitted the salt. No almonds in my pantry, so I used the end of a chopstick to dab a dot of red dye on the top. I also used a 1 inch size scoop instead of hand rolling them. They came out so light and crisp! I give these out as homemade Christmas gifts with the recipe attached since I am always asked to make them.

These are good cookies as written but they reminded me more of a "shortbread". I made a second batch with the following changes: I used half Crisco/half unsweetened butter and 2 tsps of Almond Extract.   I follow the directions in the recipe to the letter but for the second batch I used my KitchenAid. I used the paddle to cream the shortening and butter together and then switched to the dough hook. I put all the dry ingredients in at one time and "kneaded" the ingredients together until crumbly. I then added the extract and egg and "kneaded" again.   The dough wasn't as crumbly as the original recipe and came together nicely but I only got 57 cookies out of each batch using a 1" cookie scoop.  This is going to make a great addition to my daughter's International Food and Dance Festival :-)) Thanks for sharing the recipe!

I followed the directions and took the advice of the others and added some almonds to the batter and an extra 1/2 teaspoon of almonds extra.  MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Gooooooood!!  Thanks so much for a superb recipe. Delicious!! This is a five star keeper.  Much Thanks for sharing this one.                     Bren

This is the ONLY almond cookie recipe I will make.  Perfection!

These were so good!
I must have eaten half of them by myself.
The recipe was simple and quick.
I will definently make them again.

I tried the half crisco half butter thing, and tripled the almond extract. It was delicious. My friend's are hooked. Every since I had these at a party I've been craving em, and this is as good as it gets. Mine was a little pale, so I'm going to try an egg wash  (1 egg white 1 tsp of water) over it next time. 

These cookies have quickly become a favorite in our household. My three children love to help bake them (and eat them!). They are sweet and tasty and a refreshing change from the typical chocolate chip or peanut butter cookie.

I didn't have any lard so, i used shortening, of course, it didn't turn out so great. Will try to use lard next time

These were very easy to prepare and require very few ingredients.  They taste very nice - I took others advice and tripled the almond extract.  I will certainly make them again.  Thanks!

I creamed the butter and sugar first before adding the rest of the ingredients, dough was not dry. Made 90+ with the recipe. A bit sweet, perhaps because I added 3 tsp of almond extract instead. My husband and mother love it!

I just made these. They are amazing! I used butter and didn't have almond extract so I used 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp hazelnut and they taste perfect. So so good.

Made these with butter and we could NOT get enough of them.  SO much better than restaurant cookies!

These cookies are so yummy I don't know why you need lard for this recipe plus lard is unhealthy and disgusting I used butter and they came out very good I will make this again without the use of lard. Many thanks

very tender, very buttery, very good!  Make sure not to overbake them -they will be done before they look like it!

These were very good, but I should have read the reviews and added extra almond extract, 1 tsp. is not enough.  I substitued 1/2 butter and 1/2 light margarine for the lard and the cookie texture was a lot like shortbread.  I will make these again with the extra almond extract.

Fantastic, made it with butter because it's what I had on hand.  Turned out so tasty!  Any almond lover would be happy to get these.

I made these for my sister's chinese-theme birthday party...and people thought I had bought them!  They were enjoyed by all!

These cookies were fantastic!  My  whole family loved them and were asking when i could make them again.  I didnt have any almonds, but it didnt seem to matter at all.  These cookies were sooo yummy!

Really good! I used gluten free baking mix instead of flour and it still tastes awesome!

We brought these to a friends house and they were a big hit. I followed the other reviews and changed a few things. I didn't sift the flour and I used butter. I added 2.5 tsp of almond extract and .5 tsp of vanilla. I did the egg wash and they came out golden. Since I use stoneware it took ~ 23 minutes to bake. I used almond slivers not whole nuts,  they would have been too much to chew on a cookie. These are delicious.

I haven't ever had Chinese almond cookies before, but I gave this recipe a try and thought they came out well.  Changes I made: I substituted butter and shortening for the lard and used 2.5 tsp almond extract and .5 tsp vanilla extract. I tried it both with and without the egg wash and they come out beautifully either way. I think the extra extract helps the coloring.  I shared these with my boyfriend and several friends and they all loved them. They now have a reputation as dinner ruiners fresh from the oven.  These are good cookies, tasty but without the wow factor, hence the 4 out of 5 stars. 

These were ok. My son liked them, but my daughter didn't. I thought they were ok. I don't think I will bake them as long next time.

Tried this recipe and I must say that I'm very disappointed.They tasted bland. Sorry but i did not like. Maybe I'll try it with 1/2 cup of butter and 1/2 lard next time.

I  use fresh lard, and feel that it is a wetter constancy then butter. I used fresh orange instead of the almond extract, and replaced 1/2 cup of the flour with 1/2 cup of fresh ground almonds. Before baking I brushed the tops of the cookies with a mixture of one part egg white and one part water.

I love a strong almond taste and added more extract to my batch.

I used margarine and they came out very good! Thank you for sharing this recipe.

Omg ! Didn't have to change anything ! Just follow this recipe!! Bomb almond cookies I've ever had ! Taste way better than Chinese restaurant! Thx for a wonderful recipe

I made these this afternoon.  I used my stand mixer to mix the dough, which definitely was a must.  I used half lard, half unsalted butter because I didn't have enough lard.  I then rolled them into balls and rolled them in a spiced sugar mixture.  I used the bottom of a drinking glass to flatten them.  These are wonderful!

This recipe is great. Cookies are easy to make and have a great almond flavor.

I made them for my book club and they were a great hit!  I used reviewers advice and did half butter/half crisco.  I also used 3 tsp almond extract.  Thanks so much!

I made this for our kids' preschool Chinese New Year party.  They are very easy to make which is a plus.  I used 1/2 C of butter and 1/2 C of crisco.  I also used 1 1/2 tsp of almond extract.  I also made them mini-cookie size and put almond slivers on them. I needed to roll them like "meatballs" so it wouldn't come apart. They came out really pretty.  They taste buttery fresh out of the oven.  After they cool down, they are crunchy.  It seems most adults enjoy them but not the little ones.  I would make them but for the adults.

I have made them twice now and they get rave reviews. People feel they are just like restaurant almond cookies , only fresher.

The recipe as written is not flavorful enough, but adding extra almond extract makes a world of difference.

very good.  I liked the taste and the texture.  I went with the lard for one batch and a combo of butter (unsalted) and lard for the second batch.  I liked them both, but the butter and lard combo was just a little better in my opinion.

I would recommend this recipe to any one who likes any kind of cookies because this is delicious and fun to make

Very good.  I baked the cookies a few minutes longer until they turned brown.

This recipe is grrrrrrrrrrreat! Not only is it quick and easy but the end result is delicious! Perfect consistency...perrrrrrrrrfect! I didn't have regular Crisco lard but I substituted All Vegetable Crisco and they turned out so well I didn't think there would be any cookies for the rest of the family ;0) Thanks so much for submitting this recipe, I love it! Fondly, Laurie

I made these as favors for my daughter's wedding.  I like other substituted butter for lard and added extra almond flavoring.  I got soooo many requests for the recipe.  They were a huge success.  


I did the half and half like one of the reviews said and doubled the almond extract.  They turned out wonderful.  Everyone loved them!!  :)

These cookies were amazing!  Made them for the holidays and everyone loved them.  The only change I made was triple the almond extract and brush the tops with egg wash to give them a nice shine.  This one is definitely a keeper.  My kids keep asking me when I'll be making them again.

delicious and original! i substituted 3/4 plain flour with bread flour and used olive oil instead of butter~but the cookies turned out great and people said they smelled good... **but note that use a little less sugar if you prefer them to be less 'heavy'.

A bit greasy but all around delicious and a great tasting cookie.

I did not care for this cookie, to me it was like a sugar cookie rather then an almond cookie.

Excellent cookie! Very easy to make.  I followed the suggestions of several reviewers to use half butter and half butter flavored Crisco and was happy with the results. My cookies were a little crumbly - not sure why. I also added 3 teaspoons of almond extract. I'm glad that I did. I do appreciate the comments of the reviewers who suggested these tweaks.

This recipe is WAY better than almond cookies in restaurants.  The only thing I changed was adding a little more almond flavoring and brushing them with an egg wash before baking.  I brought a tray of these cookies to my lady angler meeting and only a few crumbs were left on the tray. This recipe is super easy and the cookies are fabulous!!  Definately a keeper !!

Much closer to an almond shortbread, not quite the fall apart almod wonderfulness I was looking for

These are TOO good- my husband and I ended up accidentally eating too many. Made them just as said but no almond on top- thank you for recipe!

I used Crisco instead of lard, but I needed to add an extra egg because the mix was too dry to stay together. May have been the size of my eggs. Came out OK, but not the best cookie ever.

Used 1 stick of butter and 1 stick of margarine. Added extra almond extract and the egg wash on top, both of which were definitely helpful suggestions. This made 36 cookies.

Excellent very delicious cookies. Easy to mix up and bake. My oven needed to be set at 350 and I added slivered almonds.

Very good! Dough came out very crumbly, added another egg (mine was small), and it became better. Then I realized that I had only added half the butter I was supposed to... I added the remaining butter and the dough was just fine. The cookies were extremely fragile, though, and did not hold together once baked. Could have been the egg, or a longer cooking time. Substituting the butter for the lard worked out well, no noticeable change in flavor. Overall, a very good recipe. Authentic taste and texture, and a very delightful treat! One last note: when recipes call for butter, people often leave it out ahead of time (a very prudent thing to do!), but when recipes like this call for cutting the butter in, it is advisable for it to be firm (but not hard), preferably left in the refrigerator.

I didn't add as much sugar or butter. This is also good for making cut-out cookies!  I also put some egg wash over these. When mixing it, I suggest mixing it with your hands. :) I enjoyed making these - thanks Rosina!

My son needs to bring a Chinese dish to his class' World Fair.  I trialed these today and they are a winner!  I tripled the almond extract and used butter.  Really good.

After reading all the reviews I decided to use butter flavored crisco, 3 tsp almond extract and 1/4 c extraordinary sugar.
The result de-li-cious!

This was ok.  It was a bit too soft for my liking, so I'll definitely up the baking time next go around.  Good thing is that it wasn't overly sweet.

chinese restaurant almond cookies

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total: 55 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost: $5.69 /serving

Author : Rosina

Ingredients

Instructions

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