Vanilla-Almond Cookies

These vanilla almond cookies are old-fashioned in the best way: hand-shaped rounds of buttery dough studded with finely chopped almonds, baked at a low temperature until just barely golden.

Creaming the butter until very light is the foundation. Beat it longer than you think you need to. Then beat the eggs and sugar separately until thick before combining. This double-aeration approach traps air throughout the dough, giving these cookies a tender crumb despite being a fairly stiff dough.

The almonds should be finely chopped, not ground. You want small crunchy pieces throughout, not almond flour that changes the texture entirely. Warm milk helps bring the dough together when you add it with the vanilla.

Baking at a low temperature keeps the cookies pale and tender rather than crisp and brown. They’ll look barely done when you pull them out, but they firm up as they cool.

Pro Tips

• Pinch and flatten the dough between your palms for uniform thickness so they bake evenly
• Don’t overbake, these cookies should be just set with minimal color on the edges
• Butter the baking sheet well or use parchment paper since these can stick
• Let them cool completely on the sheet before moving, they’re fragile when warm

Variations

• Roll the edges in chopped almonds before baking for extra crunch and presentation
• Add almond extract alongside the vanilla for a stronger nut flavor
• Dust with powdered sugar after cooling for a holiday-style finish