These sand dollar sugar cookies look just like a sand dollar! Soft in the middle and crisp on the edges, with a hint of cinnamon, they’re as tasty as they are pretty!
Almond Sand Dollar Cookies
Growing up, our extended family took a beach vacation together every year. My Grandma and Grandpa spearheaded the trip, which included aunts, uncles, and cousins. There were usually at least 20 of us on the trip together — what an amazing experience and some of the best memories!
One of my favorite things to do at the beach was look for seashells and sand dollars. My Grandpa used to make amazing creations out of the shells we gathered, like these sand dollar coasters that I still use in my home.
These sand dollar cookies remind me of those beach trips because they really do look just like sand dollars!
Taste-wise, they are a mixture of sugar cookies and snickerdoodles. They are not quite as cinnamon-y as a snickerdoodle, but definitely have a little more spice than a plain sugar cookie. Plus the almond slivers add a bit of crunch on top.
Sand dollar cookies are cute and delicious and full of memories!
— Stacey
Sand Dollar Sugar Cookies Ingredients
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- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
Toppings:
- Cinnamon sugar
- Sliced almonds
Handy Kitchen Tools
How to Make Sugar Cookies that Look Like Sand Dollars
Allow yourself about 2 1/2 hours to make these cookies. The recipe is simple, but the dough needs a couple hours to chill before baking.
To make the sugar cookie dough:
- Cream together butter and powdered sugar.
- Add 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks, vanilla, and salt. Mix well.
- Mix in the flour and baking soda until dough is soft.
- Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours.
When you’re ready to bake:
Preheat oven to 350°F and prep baking sheet.
Portion the dough into ping-pong sized balls and place on baking sheet, spaced apart.
Gently press the balls flat, until they are about 1/4″ thick.
TIP: If the dough feels like it’s warmed up, you may want to place in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes or so before baking.
Brush the circles with the egg whites you saved and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Press 5 almonds into the cookie, in a star shape.
Bake at 350° F for 3 minutes, remove from oven, and carefully press the almonds a bit deeper into the cookies.
TIP: If your cookies look light, sprinkle a bit more cinnamon sugar on top.
Return to oven and bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Prevent Cookies from Spreading?
Chilling the dough is crucial to helping your cookies keep their shape. If the dough warms up too much before baking, the cookies may spread out on the cookie sheet and over-bake.
When pressing the dough into individual cookies, you may want to check and make sure that the cookies are still cool to the touch before baking. If they feel warm at all, pop them in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to cool back down, then bake.
Can You Make Sugar Cookie Dough Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can prepare the dough up to three days before you plan to bake the cookies and keep in the fridge.
The dough can also be frozen. If freezing, divide the dough into four sections, separated by parchment paper, and sealed in a freezer storage bag. Transfer the bag into the fridge to thaw the night before you plan to bake your cookies.
More Cookie Recipes To Try
- Maple Brown Sugar Cookies
- Old Fashioned Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Raisin Cookies
- Russian Tea Cakes
- No Bake Avalanche Cookies
Sand Dollar Cookie Recipe (Printable Copy)
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Sand Dollar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 eggs whole
- 2 eggs separated
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 pinches of kosher salt
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Toppings
- 1/4 cup cinnamon sugar mixture
- sliced almonds
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and powdered sugar, until very creamy.
- Add 2 whole eggs, plus 2 additional 2 egg yolks; reserve the whites for later.
- Beat mixture until well combined, then mix in the vanilla and salt.
- Stir in the flour and baking powder until the dough is soft.
- Form the dough into a big ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick silicone baking mat.
- Flour your workspace and roll out the cookie dough to 1/4" thickness. Use a round cookie cutter to cut the dough into circles. We used a 2 5/8” cookie cutter, but anything between 2 1/2" and 3" should work.
- Brush the tops of the cookies with the reserved egg whites and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon sugar.
- Press 5 almond slices into the center of the circle in a star pattern like you'd see on a sand dollar.
- Bake at 350° F for 3 minutes.
- At the 3 minute mark, remove the baking sheet from the oven and press the almonds in a bit further. Use caution as the cookies will be hot. You may want to use a chopstick or something similar for this step.
- Return to oven and bake 10 more minutes, until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Nutrition
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