Almond Cookies (Dim Sum Variety)

A beloved memory from long-gone dim sum restaurants in Hawaii, these cookies contain no almonds, but have the taste of almonds in a fat, round little cookie with a traditional red dot in the middle.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Calories: 173 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• red food coloring
• 1 cup vegetable shortening, plus
• 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Pour a few drops of red food coloring into a small bowl, and set aside.

Step 2

With an electric mixer, beat the shortening together with the sugar in a mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in the egg and almond extract.

Step 3

Bake in the preheated oven until slightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Step 4

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the sugar-shortening mixture, and mix well. Scoop up a scant tablespoon of dough with a spoon, and form into a walnut-sized ball. Place the ball onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and press the ball slightly with your thumb to create a flat spot on top (don't flatten the cookie). Dip the end of a bamboo chopstick into the red food coloring, and touch the center of each cookie to make a red dot.