Happy Cookie Friday and (also) Happy Chinese New Year! Both happen on the same day this year. To honor both events I made some Chinese Almond Cookies today. They are not only delicious – these cookies are supposed to bring you luck. That’s what they say. I hope that’s true… after 2020 aka. “The year of the rat”, some luck would be nice for 2021 ;)
Last year was the year of the rat. This little furry fella symbolizes luck and determination. It should have been the perfect year for new beginnings. Well… I don’t know if that’s what happened in 2020. If that was supposed to be a “fresh start,” it wasn’t a particularly good one, right? Could have been much better and less scary…. ;)
Well. As of today, the ox has taken over and everything should get better. Professional success, financial growth, and the joy of love are coming to us together with the ox. Let’s hope that is true for everyone! I would be fine with professional success and some money – I already have everything else. Thanks! ;)
Just kidding. To celebrate the new year many Chinese serve almond cookies like these here. At least that’s what I read everywhere ;) Unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to visit China while the new year is being celebrated. I have to rely on what the internet is telling me here. I have been in Hong Kong at Christmas, but that does not really help here ;P
Anyway. There are many different recipes for these kinds of cookies. I somewhat merged two recipes I knew. Some recipes ask for almonds only and others use flour and a lot of almond extract to get the flavors. Some cookies have whole (or pieces of) almonds on top, some have red dots like mine here. I went for the almond dough, minimal added almond flavor, and a red dot. The red dot is for good luck btw. That was the most important part for me ;)
So – fingers crossed – let’s hope the upcoming year is better than the last one. It only can get better, to be honest. And with the help of these lucky cookies, everything will be fine! ;)
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
For the cookies:
4.2 oz. (120g) ground almonds
6.3 oz. (180g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100g) xylitol (or sugar)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
some drops of almond extract
1 medium egg yolk
some water
For the decoration:
1/4 tsp. xylitol powdered sugar
some drops red food color
Für die Cookies:
120g Mandeln, gemahlen
180g Mehl (Type 550)
100g Xylit (oder Zucker)
1 TL Backpulver
1 TL Natron
1/4 TL Salz
120ml Pflanzenöl
einige Tropfen Bittermandelöl
1 Eigelb (M)
etwas Wasser
Für die Dekoration:
1/4 TL Xylit Puderzucker
einige Tropfen rote Lebensmittelfarbe
Note: Use the bitter almond oil /almond extract very carefully here. If you use too much, the cookies can turn into something very artificial tasting quite easily. I also recommend letting the cookies sit for a day or two. They dry out more the longer they sit and for me that makes them even better! Oh… and if you want to make these Cookies with sugar – feel free to do so. Works well.
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. Add the ground almonds, flour, xylitol (or sugar), baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the oil and almond extract and mix until the dough comes together – it will look and feel more like wet sand, but that is ok. Shape walnut-sized portions of dough into balls, then flatten them and shape into round discs in the palms of your hands. Try to avoid cracks in the edges. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Mix the egg yolk with a bit of water and brush the cookies with it. Mix the powdered sugar in a small bowl with some red food color, use the back of a chopstick or wooden spoon, dip it into the color and then press it slightly into the center of each cookie to leave a red dot behind (for good luck). Bake for 16-20 minutes until slightly puffed up and lightly golden in color. Take out of the oven and let cool down for some time on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool down completely.
2. Die gemahlenen Mandeln mit dem Mehl, Xylit (oder Zucker), Backpulver, Natron und Salz in einer großen Schüssel vermischen. Das Öl und einige Tropfen Bittermandelöl dazugeben und alles verrühren, bis der Teig zusammenkommt – der Teig sieht in etwa aus wie nasser Sand und wird sich auch ähnlich anfühlen, aber das ist OK. Etwa walnussgroße Teigportionen erst zu Kugeln formen und dann in den Handflächen zu runden Scheiben zusammendrücken. Versucht Risse an den Rändern zu vermeiden. Die Teigkreise auf das vorbereitete Blech setzen. Das Eigelb mit etwas Wasser verquirlen und die Teigkreise dann damit bestreichen. Den Puderzucker in einer kleinen Schüssel mit etwas roter Lebensmittelfarbe vermischen, mit der Rückseite eines Essstäbchens oder Holzlöffels in die Farbe tauchen und damit dann leicht in die Mitte jedes Plätzchens drücken, um einen roten Punkt zu hinterlassen. Die Cookies für etwa 16-20 Minuten backen – sie sollten etwas aufgegangen sein und eine goldene Farbe bekommen haben. Aus dem Ofen holen und dann auf dem Blech einige Zeit abkühlen lassen, dann auf einem Kuchengitter komplett abkühlen lassen.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Print
Chinese Almond Cookies for Chinese New Year (sugar-free)
- Prep Time: 00:15
- Cook Time: 00:20
- Total Time: 00:35
- Yield: 15 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Cuisine: China
Description
To celebrate the Chinese New Year many families serve almond cookies for good luck.
Ingredients
For the cookies:
4.2 oz. (120g) ground almonds
6.3 oz. (180g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100g) xylitol (or sugar)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
some drops of almond extract
1 medium egg yolk
some water
For the decoration:
1/4 tsp. xylitol powdered sugar
some drops red food color
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside.
2. Add the ground almonds, flour, xylitol (or sugar), baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the oil and almond extract and mix until the dough comes together – it will look and feel more like wet sand, but that is ok. Shape walnut-sized portions of dough into balls, then flatten them and shape into round discs in the palms of your hands. Try to avoid cracks in the edges. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Mix the egg yolk with a bit of water and brush the cookies with it. Mix the powdered sugar in a small bowl with some red food color, use the back of a chopstick or wooden spoon, dip it into the color and then press it slightly into the center of each cookie to leave a red dot behind (for good luck). Bake for 16-20 minutes until slightly puffed up and lightly golden in color. Take out of the oven and let cool down for some time on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool down completely.
Notes
Enjoy baking!
I love my job, but in between I love to bake and try new things in the kitchen. A lot of my friends and colleagues encourage me to bake - for a very simple reason: they get the leftovers - and it seems they like it most of the time ;) 
