Frosted Almond Sugar Cookies

If you’re searching for a new holiday cookie recipe, these Frosted Almond Sugar Cookies might just become your favorite. The dough is buttery and nutty, thanks to finely ground almonds, while the frosting is perfectly sweet with a hint of almond extract. Designed as Christmas trees but easily customizable for any occasion, these cookies are a treat to bake and share!

There’s something so rewarding about creating cookies that not only taste amazing but also look like little works of art. These Frosted Almond Sugar Cookies are the perfect balance of flavor and fun, making them an unforgettable addition to your holiday traditions. Whether you’re gifting a beautifully packaged batch to a neighbor or setting them out as part of a dessert spread, they’re sure to impress.

Over the years I’ve shared many cut-out cookie recipes on the blog. We’ve covered gingerbread, orange almond, cotton candy frosted, ugly sweater, peppermint, and more! 

This holiday season I wanted to try a new dough flavor so I experimented with almonds. The result was delicious which makes me so excited to share these Christmas tree almond sugar cookies with you. 

If you want even more Christmas cookies, I have SO MANY here on Inspired by Charm for you to choose from. To make them easy to find, I put together an entire blog post with all my favorites. You can find that HERE. 

I have a slight obsession with Christmas magazines. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been seeing a frosting technique where dots of frosting are added in a row onto a cookie. The dots get spread out and then another row of dots is added and the pattern repeats. I LOVE the look! 

I loved it so much that I had to give it a try. What do you think?

In my opinion, this method works especially well for things like Christmas trees because the spread-out little frosting dots look like the fluffy branches of a pine tree. Love that! 

I went pretty minimal with my Christmas tree cookie “decorations,” but I’m thinking it might be fun to add more colorful sprinkles to give the look of ornaments and lights.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• These cookies are a delightful twist on the classic cut-out sugar cookie, with the addition of almonds bringing a subtle nutty flavor that feels familiar yet elevated. The toasted almonds add depth, making these cookies taste as special as they look.
• The creamy, almond-infused frosting is not only delicious but also so much fun to work with. The unique piping technique creates a stunning tree design that’s surprisingly simple to achieve, giving your cookies a polished, bakery-quality look.
• This recipe is versatile and customizable. While the Christmas tree shapes are festive and fun, you can easily adapt the dough and frosting to create cookies for any occasion or celebration throughout the year.
• These cookies are perfect for holiday gatherings, cookie exchanges, or as thoughtful gifts. They’re beautiful, flavorful, and show just how much love and care went into making them—without feeling overly complicated or intimidating.

If you’re looking for more of my Christmas cookie recipes, you’re in luck because I have a round-up post of my favorite Christmas cookie recipes.

Ingredients

The base of these almond sugar cookies is pretty standard with the addition of toasted almonds and lemon zest. These two added ingredients really amp up the flavor. So, here’s what you’ll need:

Cookie Ingredients:

• Slivered Almonds: Toasted to enhance their nutty flavor, these almonds are finely ground to blend seamlessly into the dough for a subtle, delicious crunch.
• All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of the cookies, providing structure and creating the perfect canvas for the almond flavor.
• Unsalted Butter: Softened to cream smoothly into the dough, giving the cookies their rich, buttery taste and tender texture.
• Sugar: Sweetens the cookies just enough while allowing the almond and lemon zest flavors to shine.
• Egg: Adds moisture and binds the ingredients together, ensuring the cookies hold their shape during baking.
• Vanilla Extract: A classic addition that complements the almond flavor, adding warmth and depth to the cookies.
• Kosher Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor of the cookies.
• Lemon Zest: A bright and zesty ingredient that adds a subtle freshness to the dough, making the almond flavor pop.

I used my standard sugar cookie frosting recipe. It’s a combination of butter and shortening which I really love. To bring in the almond flavor from the cookies, I added a touch of almond extract to the frosting to marry the two beautifully. Here’s what you’ll need for the frosting: 

Frosting Ingredients:

• Vegetable Shortening: Helps create a stable, creamy frosting that holds its shape perfectly for decorating.
• Unsalted Butter: Adds richness to the frosting, balancing the sweetness of the confectioners’ sugar.
• Confectioners’ Sugar: The base of the frosting, giving it a smooth and sweet consistency that’s easy to pipe.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds a familiar sweetness to the frosting, keeping the flavor classic and complementary to the cookies.
• Almond Extract: A subtle but flavorful addition that ties the frosting to the almond-infused cookies.
• Milk: Adjusts the frosting’s consistency to make it smooth and spreadable without losing its structure.
• Gel Food Coloring: Provides vibrant, customizable colors for your frosting without affecting its consistency.
• Green and White Sprinkles: Add a touch of sparkle and texture to the frosted cookies, making them extra festive.

In addition to the standard baking equipment, you’ll need some piping bags and a round tip like THESE. I also used some green sprinkles and white sprinkles.

How to Make

I’m going to quickly walk you through the steps of making these Christmas tree almond sugar cookies. For a more detailed explanation along with a full ingredient list, please reference the printable recipe card below.

1. In a food processor, pulse the toasted almond until finely ground. 
2. In a large bowl whisk together the ground almonds, flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Cream together the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and lemon zest. 
4. Add half of the dry ingredients. Begin mixing to incorporate. 
5. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined. 
6. Refrigerate the dough for at least three hours or overnight.
7. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
8. Roll out about half of the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness.
9. Cut out the dough using a tree-shaped cookie cutter. 

10. Bake 8-10 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet.
11. Transfer the cookies to a cutting board or your countertop to cool completely.
12. Repeat with remaining dough.

13. Cream together the vegetable shortening and butter. 
14. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time. 
15. Mix in the vanilla and almond extract. 
16. Add milk as needed for a smoother consistency. 
17. Divide the frosting into smaller bowls and add gel food coloring to achieve the desired colors.
18. Place the frosting in a piping bag with a round tip.
19. To create this frosting design, pipe dots of frosting along the bottom of the tree. 

20. Using a butter knife, press into the dot near the middle. Press and pull to spread the dot up the cookie. 
21. Repeat by piping another row of dots above the previous one and then spread the new row like before. 

22. Continue until you reach the top of your tree.
23. Add sprinkles to decorate.

Allow the frosting to set before packing and storing the cookies in an airtight container.

And that’s a wrap.

As with any frosted sugar cookie, these do take time and patience. I really enjoy the process. In fact, I was making these very cookies with my mom and I told her I could frost cookies all day long. It doesn’t matter if I’m using traditional frosting like this or piped royal icing; I just love frosting cookies! 

I highly suggest you plan on making the cookies when you have ample time. There’s nothing worse or more stressful than trying to rush through the process. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Before you depart, let me answer a few questions you may have. 

Can you freeze these almond sugar cookies?

Yep! You certainly can. I froze my frosted ones and will defrost them when I need them for Christmas. Pack the cookies in a freezer-friendly airtight container. I packed one row, put them in the freezer for a bit, and then packed the next row. This will ensure my frosting doesn’t get smushed as I layer the cookies.

Can I use a different color of food coloring?

Of course! Make them whatever color you want. I personally recommend THIS gel food coloring. It works so well and THIS pack comes with every color you need. 

I’m nervous about the piping technique, can you help?

Practice! There’s always a cookie that gets too well done or loses a limb. Use that cookie to practice your technique. Repeat the process until you feel comfortable and confident. 

More Christmas Cookie Recipes You’ll Love

• Whipped Shortbread Cookies
• Buddy’s Kitchen Sink Cookies
• Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies
• Italian Sprinkle Christmas Cookies
• Gingerbread Cookie Bars
• Cherry Almond Pinwheel Cookies

If you’re looking for a new cut-out holiday cookie to try, I certainly hope you’ll consider these Frosted Almond Sugar Cookies. I know I can’t wait to add them to my Christmas cookie tray. I bet it will be the same for you.

I’d love to hear if you make these Frosted Almond Sugar Cookies. If you bake them and love the, please leave a comment and a 5-star rating below. 

Want more from Inspired by Charm? Join the IBC Mailing List for inspiration in your inbox! Follow along on Instagram and TikTok for daily updates and behind-the-scenes looks at my processes. There’s even more inspiration on Facebook and Pinterest! 

Pine Tree Almond Sugar Cookie

Classic cut-out sugar cookies get a flavor boost when almonds are added to create Almond Sugar Cookies. The flavor is familiar but elevated, comforting, and delicious. I decorated mine to look like Christmas trees, but feel free to make any cookie shape(s) you desire.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: almond, christmas, frosting, holiday, sugar cookie

Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Frosting Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 13 minutes minutes

Servings: 36

Calories: 192kcal

Ingredients

Cookies:

• ¾ cup slivered almonds toasted
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Frosting*:

• 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
• 7 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2-3 tablespoons milk as needed
• gel food coloring
• piping bags and tips (round tip)
• green and white sprinkles

Instructions

• Begin by preparing the cookie dough. In a food processor, pulse the toasted almond until finely ground.
• In a large bowl whisk together the ground almonds, flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and lemon zest.
• Once combined, add half of the dry ingredients. Begin mixing to incorporate. Then add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
• Refrigerate the dough for at least three hours or overnight.
• After your dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out about half of the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness, depending on your preference. Cut out the dough using a tree-shaped cookie cutter.
• Transfer each cut-out to an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the first sign of browning appears on the surface of the cookies. Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to a cutting board or your countertop to cool completely.
• Repeat the process with the second half of the dough. Any dough scraps can be reformed into a ball and re-rolled.
• While the cookies cool, prepare your frosting. With a mixer, cream together the vegetable shortening and butter. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time. Mix in the vanilla and almond extract. Add milk as needed for a smoother consistency. Divide the frosting into smaller bowls and add gel food coloring to achieve the desired colors.
• Place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
• To create the frosting design, pipe dots of frosting along the bottom of the tree. Using a butter knife, press into the dot near the middle. Press and pull to spread the dot up the cookie. Repeat by piping another row of dots above the previous one and then spread the new row like before. Continue until you reach the top of your tree. (Reference photos in the blog post for a better example of this technique.)
• Allow the frosting to set before packing and storing the cookies in an airtight container.

Notes

*It is likely that you’ll have some extra frosting. For me, this isn’t a bad thing as there’s always a cookie that needs decorating. If you want to avoid any excess, you may want to cut this recipe in half.

Nutrition

Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 36mg | Potassium: 30mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 197IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.5mg