Sand Dollar Cookies
These Sand Dollar Cookies are buttery, lightly cinnamon-kissed shortbread-style cutout cookies decorated with five sliced almonds pressed into a star formation — a charming, edible nod to the beach. Made with a simple dough of butter, sugar, flour, and almond extract, then finished with an egg white wash, a dusting of cinnamon sugar, and carefully placed almond slivers, they bake up crisp at the edges with a tender center. Perfect for beach parties, ocean-themed gatherings, summer baking with kids, or anytime you want an impressive-looking cookie that comes together with minimal effort.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or handheld electric mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl For cinnamon sugar mixture
- Round cookie cutter 2½-inch (6cm) diameter
- Rimmed baking sheets At least 2
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Rolling Pin
- Plastic wrap For chilling the dough
- Pastry brush For applying egg white wash
- Wire cooling rack
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spatula or bench scraper For transferring cookie cutouts
- Plastic straw Optional — for pressing a center oval impression into each cookie
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226g; softened to room temperature (2 sticks)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150g
- ¼ cup powdered sugar 30g; also called icing sugar or confectioners' sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1½ tsp almond extract or substitute pure vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour 281g; plus extra for dusting the work surface
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Topping
- 1 egg white reserved from a second egg; for brushing over cookies before baking
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g; for the cinnamon sugar coating
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 120 sliced almonds approximately 120 slivers; 5 per cookie for 24 cookies
Instructions
- Remove the butter and egg from the refrigerator 30–60 minutes before baking to bring them to room temperature. Separate one egg white into a small bowl and set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1½ tsp ground cinnamon until fully combined. Set aside.
- Beat the softened butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar, and ¼ cup powdered sugar together on medium speed for 4–5 minutes until pale, fluffy, and creamy, scraping down the bowl once. Add the egg and almond extract and beat for another 1–2 minutes.
- Whisk together the flour and salt in a separate bowl, then add to the butter mixture in batches on low speed, mixing just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight). Do not skip this step — chilled dough holds its shape during cutting and baking.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to ¼-inch (6mm) thickness and cut out circles with a 2½-inch round cutter. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Re-roll scraps and repeat.
- Lightly brush the top of each cookie with the reserved egg white, then sprinkle with a pinch of the cinnamon sugar mixture — a thin, even dusting is all you need.
- Press 5 almond slivers into the center of each cookie in a star formation, radiating evenly outward like the spokes of a sand dollar. Press each sliver firmly with your fingertip to ensure it adheres.
- Bake on the center rack for 10–13 minutes, until the edges are just barely golden. The centers may look slightly underdone — they will firm up as they cool.
- Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3–5 minutes, then transfer carefully to a wire rack and cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Chill the dough — no shortcuts: Refrigerating the dough for at least 1 hour is essential. Warm dough spreads in the oven and loses the defined round sand dollar shape.
- Room temperature butter matters: Press your finger into the butter — it should indent easily but still hold its shape. Cold butter won't cream properly; melted butter makes the dough too soft.
- Use almond extract for best flavor: Almond extract gives these cookies their signature delicate, slightly floral flavor. Vanilla extract is a fine substitute for a more classic sugar cookie taste.
- Light hand with cinnamon sugar: Apply only a thin pinch of cinnamon sugar over the egg white wash. Too much creates a barrier that prevents the almond slivers from sticking.
- Press almonds firmly: Each almond sliver needs direct contact with the egg white layer beneath the cinnamon sugar to stay in place after baking. A confident press with your fingertip does the trick.
- Optional center detail: For extra realism, use a plastic straw to gently press a small oval impression into the center of each cookie before baking.
- Make-ahead dough: The dough disc can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days, layered between sheets of parchment paper to protect the almond slivers.
- Freezing baked cookies: Freeze fully cooled cookies in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving.
- Reviving stale cookies: If cookies have softened during storage, place them on a baking sheet in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3–4 minutes to crisp them back up. Cool before eating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1CookieCalories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 35mgPotassium: 30mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 4IUCalcium: 2mgIron: 3mg
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