Almond Cookies with Frangipane Centers Recipe

Almond Cookies

These chewy almond cookies hold a sweet frangipane center and a scatter of sliced almonds on top, finished with a light dusting of powdered sugar. If you love the flavor of an almond croissant, this recipe brings those same notes into cookie form.

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Every cookie is soft in the middle, gently crisp at the edges, and layered with almond flavor from three directions: ground almonds and almond extract in the dough, a spoonful of frangipane in the center, and sliced almonds across the top.

The recipe makes 18 cookies. Prep takes about 30 minutes, baking takes about 13 minutes, and the total time comes to roughly 43 minutes. The oven runs at 350 degrees F, which is 175 degrees C.

Why You’ll Love these Easy Almond Cookies

The texture is what sells these cookies. They are super chewy, and the frangipane filling sits right in the middle of each one, so the center stays soft and tender while the edges firm up just enough in the oven.

Almond flavor arrives three separate times. It starts with almond extract and ground almonds worked into the cookie dough. It continues with the frangipane in the center, which is built on ground almonds, sugar, butter, and a little more almond extract. It finishes with sliced almonds pressed onto the top before baking, so the nuts toast as the cookies brown.

They also look the part. The frangipane peeks through the center, the sliced almonds add a golden crown, and a dusting of powdered sugar after cooling gives them that bakery case finish. Simple to put together, but they read as something special on a plate.

I brought a batch of these to a Sunday lunch with family, and the plate came back empty before anyone even asked what was in them.

Ingredient List for Almond Cookies

This recipe is built in two parts, and it is worth keeping them separate as you measure. The frangipane comes together first in a small bowl, then the cookie dough follows.

For the frangipane

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp ground almonds
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• A pinch of salt

For the almond cookies

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, for topping
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

A few notes on what each piece does. The all purpose flour gives the cookies their chew and structure. Ground almonds appear in both the frangipane and the dough, which is where much of the richness comes from.

Baking powder and baking soda give a slight lift, and salt keeps the sweetness in balance. Brown sugar carries most of the sweetness in the dough and helps with that chewy bite, while granulated white sugar sweetens the frangipane.

The butter should be softened for the dough and melted for the frangipane. Egg yolks, rather than whole eggs, add extra chew. Vanilla and almond extract round out the flavor, and the sliced almonds and powdered sugar are the finishing touches.

Step by Step Instructions

Start with the frangipane so it is ready when the dough is scooped. Keep the two mixtures separate, and the whole process moves quickly.

For the frangipane

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract until well combined.
2. Fold in the ground almonds, flour, and pinch of salt. Set the bowl aside.

For the almond cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together, then set the flour mixture aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. You can also use the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
4. Add the egg yolks, vanilla, and almond extract, and mix on medium speed until the mixture is pale in color and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. Add the flour mixture and ground almonds to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined.
6. Scoop the dough with a large 2 tablespoon capacity cookie scoop into 18 portions. Roll each portion into a ball, then use a 1/2 tbsp measure to make a slight indent in the dough. Add 1/2 tbsp of frangipane to the center and slightly flatten it out, then top with sliced almonds.
7. Bake 6 cookies at a time, spaced 2 inches apart, on a prepared baking sheet for 12 to 13 1/2 minutes, until they are light golden brown. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, scoot a large circular cookie cutter around each one to give it a perfect circular shape. The cookies spread while they bake, so this step is what gives them the right shape and thickness.
8. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for five minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, dust each cookie with powdered sugar and serve.

Baking only six cookies at a time matters more than it looks. Spacing them 2 inches apart on a parchment lined sheet gives them room to spread without touching, and working in small batches keeps the oven temperature steady while you shape the next round of dough. While one tray bakes, you can scoop and fill the next.

The indent and the frangipane are the heart of this recipe. A shallow well made with a 1/2 tablespoon measure holds exactly the right amount of filling, and flattening the frangipane slightly helps it settle into the dough instead of sitting on top.

The sliced almonds go on before baking, so they toast in the oven and turn a warm golden color as the cookies finish.

Watch the color rather than the clock for the final minute or two. You want light golden brown at the edges and a set, slightly soft center. If your oven runs hot, pull the tray a little earlier. Every oven behaves differently, which is why the bake time is written as a range.

The cookie cutter step happens while the cookies are still hot and soft, straight off the tray. Scooting a large round cutter around each cookie nudges the spread edges back into a neat circle and gives the cookie a slightly thicker, more even profile.

Readers of the original recipe have said this is the one step they would not skip, and a mason jar lid works as a stand in if you do not own a large cutter.

Cooling on the sheet for five minutes lets the cookies firm up before you move them, and the wire rack finishes the job so the bottoms do not steam. Powdered sugar goes on only after the cookies are completely cool, otherwise it melts into the surface and disappears.

Pro Tips

Flour measurement is the most common reason these cookies turn out dry or flat. Never scoop a measuring cup into the flour bin, because that packs the flour down and you end up with more than the recipe calls for. Instead, spoon flour into the measuring cup and swipe off the excess with the back of a knife.

Weighing flour on a kitchen scale is even more reliable. One cup of flour equals 125 grams, so 1 3/4 cups comes to about 219 grams and 1/3 cup comes to about 42 grams. If you bake often, a scale removes the guesswork entirely and keeps your results consistent from one batch to the next.

Keep the cookie cutter trick in mind before you start. Have a large round cutter, or a mason jar lid, sitting next to the stove so it is within reach the moment the tray comes out. The window for shaping is short, since the cookies firm up quickly as they cool.

On storage, leftovers keep well in an airtight container or a freezer bag for up to three days. For longer storage, freeze the cookies for up to two weeks and let them come to room temperature before serving.

One question that comes up often is whether almond paste can replace the frangipane. That swap has not been tested with this recipe, so it is best to make the frangipane as written and save the almond paste for another project.

Other Homemade Cookie Recipes to Try Next Time

If these almond cookies disappear quickly, the same approach works beautifully in other flavors. Chewy pumpkin cookies, chewy peanut butter cookies, brown sugar cookies, and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies are all worth adding to your baking list.

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Almond Cookies

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Almond Cookies These chewy almond cookies hold a sweet frangipane center and a scatter of sliced almonds on top, finished with a light dusting of powdered sugar. If you love the flavor of an almond croissant, this recipe brings those same notes into cookie form.

• Total Time: 43 min
• Yield: 18 cookies 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Frangipane
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp ground almonds
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
salt, pinch

For the Almond Cookies
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla
2 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup sliced almonds, for topping the cookies
powdered sugar, for dusting the cookies

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Instructions

For the Frangipane
1-In a small bowl, whisk together the: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and almond extract until well combined.
2-Then fold in the ground almonds, flour: Then fold in the ground almonds, flour and pinch of salt. Set aside.

For the Almond Cookies
3-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
4-In a medium bowl, whisk the flour,: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Then set aside the flour mixture.
5-In a large bowl, cream the butter,: In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. (You can also use the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment.)
6-Add in the egg yolks, vanilla and: Add in the egg yolks, vanilla and almond extract and mix together on medium speed until pale in color and fluffy. (Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.)
7-Add the flour mixture and ground almonds: Add the flour mixture and ground almonds to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined.
8-Scoop the cookie dough with a large,: Scoop the cookie dough with a large, 2 tablespoon capacity cookie scoop into 18 portions. (I slightly of overfill my scoop.) Roll each into a ball and use a 1/2 tbsp to make a slight indent in the dough. Add 1/2 tbsp of frangipane to the center of the dough and slightly flatten it out. Top with sliced almonds.
9-Bake 6 cookies at a time, spaced: Bake 6 cookies at a time, spaced 2 inches apart on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12-13 1/2 minutes until they are a light golden brown. When the cookies are straight out of the oven, scoot a large circular cookie cutter around them to give them a perfect circular shape. (They will spread while they bake, so scooting a cookie cutter around them is imperative to get the right shape and thickness.)
10-After baking, let the cookies cool on: After baking, let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for five minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to completely cool. Once cooled, dust each cookie with powdered sugar, then serve!

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 13 min
• Method: bake