Popo's Chinese Almond Cookies (The Recipe She Never Wrote Down)

So here's the thing about Chinese New Year—it's not just about the food, it's about what the food means.

Almonds? They symbolize luck and wealth. The word for almond (杏, xìng) sounds like luck (幸, xìng). Popo never explained this to me as a kid—she'd just press whole almonds into cookie dough and say "good luck for the new year." I thought she meant for me specifically. She did.

These cookies are sandy, crumbly, intensely almond-y, and honestly? They're not hard to make. Popo made them by feel—"until it feels right"—but I've tested this enough times to give you actual measurements that work.

Chinese New Year is Tuesday. Let's make some luck.

Popo's Chinese Almond Cookies

Makes about 24 cookies | Prep time: 20 minutes | Chill time: 30 minutes | Bake time: 15-18 minutes

Ingredients

1½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (50g) almond flour (not almond meal—get the finely ground stuff)
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened (or use 4 tbsp lard + 5 tbsp butter for more traditional texture)
1 large egg yolk
½ teaspoon almond extract
24 whole raw almonds (for pressing on top)
1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon water (for egg wash)

Instructions

Mix dry ingredients. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl (or stand mixer), beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy—about 2-3 minutes. Don't rush this. The air you're incorporating here is what gives these cookies their delicate texture.
Add wet stuff. Beat in the egg yolk and almond extract until combined.
Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. The dough will look sandy and crumbly. This is correct. Don't overmix.
Chill. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Don't skip this—the dough is too soft to shape right now.)
Shape. Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions and roll into balls. Place 2 inches apart—they spread a little, not a ton.
Flatten and top. Gently flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass (or your palm) to about ½-inch thick. Press one whole almond into the center of each cookie.
Egg wash. Brush the tops with the egg yolk wash. This gives them that beautiful golden color and slight sheen.
Bake. 15-18 minutes, until the edges are golden and the tops are set but still pale. They'll look underdone in the middle—that's fine. They firm up as they cool.
Cool. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. These are fragile when warm. Be gentle.

Why This Recipe Works

The butter vs. lard debate: Traditional recipes use lard for that classic sandy, crumbly texture. Popo used butter because that's what was in our Canadian kitchen, and honestly? I like the flavor better. The lard version is more authentic to Chinese restaurant cookies, but butter gives you richer flavor and a slightly crisper edge. I've made it both ways—both are good. Use what you have.

Almond flour matters: Get blanched almond flour (finely ground, no skins), not almond meal. Meal has a coarser texture and the skins make it darker. You want that pale, sandy color.

Don't overbake: These should be pale on top with golden edges. Overbaked almond cookies taste... not great. Dry and chalky. Pull them when they still look slightly soft in the center.

The almond on top: Not just decorative—the whole almond gets slightly toasted in the oven and adds textural contrast. Don't skip it.

Troubleshooting

"My dough is too crumbly to roll into balls." Add a teaspoon of milk or water. The dough should hold together when squeezed but still feel sandy.

"My cookies spread too much." Chill longer—45 minutes instead of 30. Also check your butter wasn't too soft when you started.

"My cookies are dry and chalky." Overbaked. Pull them earlier—they should still look pale on top.

"Can I use almond extract instead of almond flour?" No, they're doing different jobs. The almond flour provides structure and that sandy texture. The extract is just flavor. You need both.

Make Ahead & Storage

These keep beautifully—Popo would make them a week before Chinese New Year and store in tins. Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. They actually get better on day 2-3 as the flavors meld.

You can also freeze the shaped, unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen—just add 2-3 minutes to the bake time.

About Popo

My grandmother never wrote down a recipe. She'd say "a little bit of this, until it feels right." I've spent years reverse-engineering her baking, measuring what she did by instinct.

She came to Canada in the 1970s and adapted everything—substituting ingredients she couldn't find, adjusting for a different climate, teaching herself to bake in a kitchen that didn't have a rice cooker or a wok that seasoned properly.

These cookies are her version. Not exactly what she'd make in Hong Kong, but exactly what she made for us. That's its own kind of authentic.

Happy Chinese New Year. May your year be lucky, wealthy, and full of good cookies.

—Emma

P.S. If you make these, tag me. I love seeing Popo's recipes in other kitchens. It means she's still here.