These Cute Almond Cookies Are an Easy Gift for Any Occasion

We've all had that last minute panic when you realise it's your friend's birthday tomorrow: you're broke and you need a quick and easy gift to make that still shows you care (and that you absolutely DID NOT forget their birthday up until a few hours ago). This almond cookie recipe fits the bill perfectly - tasty, cute, homemade and can be whipped up in less than an hour. As long as you package it up right, no one will be able to tell that this was a last minute, panic bake (hopefully)!

Easy Almond Cookies

• Prep Time:40 mins
• Cook Time:20 mins
• Total Time:1 hr
• Servings:16
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1 cup plain/cake flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 drops almond essence or vanilla essence if you don't want an overly almond taste
• Whole almonds for decoration

• Step 1

  Cream the softened butter and sugar together in a bowl until the mixture is well combined and pale.

  

• Step 2

  Add the vanilla extract and the egg and mix.

• Step 3

  Sift in the flour and baking soda and mix well. The mixture will start to thicken and form a dough.

  

• Step 4

  Grasp the mixture together in your hands and form into a ball of dough. Cover it in clingfilm/plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 30 mins.

  

• Step 5

  Preheat the oven to 325° F (or 165° C) and line a baking tray with baking paper or foil.

• Step 6

  Divide the dough into small sections and roll each section into small balls (about the size of a table tennis ball). Put the dough balls onto the baking tray, spaced evenly apart.

  

• Step 7

  Place a whole almond on top of each ball and press down to flatten the dough slightly.

  

• Step 8

  Place the tray in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cookies are golden brown/browned to your liking.