Chinese Almond Cookies

Happy Chinese New Year! Chinese year 4714 began on February 8, and is the Year of the Monkey. The monkey is the ninth animal in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle (other monkey years include 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, and 2004).

People born under the monkey sign are purportedly clever, and intelligent, especially in their careers and financial affairs. “They are lively, flexible, quick-witted and versatile,” and “their gentleness and honesty bring them an everlasting love life.” But they are also “jealous, suspicious, cunning, selfish, and arrogant.” They are perfect matches with those born under the sign of the ox and rabbit, and are bad matches with those born under the sign of the pig and tiger. Check your compatibility with monkeys here.

To celebrate the Chinese New Year, I baked a batch of Chinese Almond Cookies. I remember having these in Chinese restaurants as a kid growing up in New York, but I don’t see them anymore. Give these a try — who knows, maybe your family will go ape for them. 🙂

CHINESE ALMOND COOKIES

Author: Tag Sale Tastes

Recipe type: Cookies

Ingredients

2-3/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, slightly softened
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon almond extract
⅓ cup whole blanched almonds
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Place flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Cut butter into pieces and add to flour. Pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the beaten egg and almond extract, and process until combined and dough forms. Transfer to a bowl.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet, flattening slightly. Press an almond on top of each cookie. Using a pastry brush, brush tops of cookies with egg yolk mixture. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until just beginning to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies.