How to Make Easy Almond Checkerboard Cookies Recipe

Learn how to make checkerboard cookies with this easy recipe. Create stunning almond-flavored treats that delight your taste buds and impress your guests.

Create stunning checkerboard cookies with our simple almond recipe. Perfect your baking skills and delight your friends and family with these delicious checkerboard cookies.

How to Make Easy Almond Checkerboard Cookies Recipe

These charming cookie creations are not your average everyday cookies. They are a visual masterpiece with striking colored squares that make them look like a work of art. As enticing as they are to the eye, they are equally delightful to the palate. The delicate almond flavor, combined with the sweet, buttery goodness, is a match made in cookie heaven.

This fun checkerboard pattern is perfect for your cookie tray to add a great splash of color. Bake a batch of these almond checkerboard cookies and share them with your loved ones. Whether it is a special occasion, a get-together, or just a regular day, these cookies are bound to brighten everyone’s day. They are perfect for cookie season! Sharing delicious homemade treats is one of life’s greatest joys.

These red and green cookies are perfect for the holiday season. The checkerboard effect is visually stunning and very easy to make! Read on for a simple, step-by-step recipe on how to make these almond checkerboard cookies, guaranteed to leave your taste buds dancing with joy.

Tips and Variations for this How to Make Easy Almond Checkerboard Cookies Recipe:

● These are green and red. You can change the color pattern for any holiday or special occasion by using different food gel color pairings. Make them pink and red for Valentine’s Day, light green and dark green for St. Patrick’s Day. Choose blue, purple, yellow, and/or light green for Easter. Use red, white, and blue for the 4th of July. Orange and black is the perfect color combination for Halloween (use black food gel). Brown, orange, and green work well for Thanksgiving. You can make these blue or pink for a gender reveal party! There is no limit to the color combination you can make with this checkerboard cookie recipe.
● This recipe is a lovely sugar cookie that is slightly crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. The almond flavor is there, but it is soft and subtle. This cookie is perfect for dessert dips as well. It is sweet but not overpowering.
● Red can be a tough color to do in a dough as it tends to turn pink in color. To help create the deep red that we want in this cookie, add a touch of black food gel coloring to the dough. Mix it in and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. The color will darken as it sits. Use the black very sparingly; the black can easily overpower the red color.
● Your other choice of red is to use a nicely saturated gel like this one from Ann Clark.
● For a fun addition, dip one end of these cookies in melted chocolate. You can then sprinkle on decorator sugar.
● If you prefer, you can substitute vanilla extract for the almond extract (making these vanilla dough cookies). How to make vanilla extract
● In the United States 8 tablespoons of butter = 1 stick, and 1 stick of butter = ½ a cup. This recipe uses 2 sticks of butter or 1 cup.
● Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for three days.
● You can freeze these cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter until they are at room temperature, and enjoy.
● You can also make the cookie dough ahead of time. Once the checkerboard pattern is completed and wrapped in plastic, instead of placing it in the fridge, place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you want to make the cookies, pull the checkerboard dough out of the freezer and thaw until it is still cold but easy to slice. Slice each cookie and bake as usual.
● This recipe is made with simple ingredients commonly found in your local grocery store.

If you like easy-to-make Christmas cookies, you may want to try these festive cookies! Easy cookie recipes that are perfect for your holiday cookie needs.

● Christmas Butter Cookie Recipe – buttery cookies that are perfect for your holiday cookie tray.
● Kris Kringle Cookie and Frosting Recipe – the quintessential Christmas cookie.
● Peppermint Patty Stuffed Chocolate Cookies Recipe – peppermint patties + peppermint extract make for a cool and delicious holiday treat.

Easy Almond Checkerboard Cookies Recipe Ingredients:

● 1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
● 1 cup Granulated Sugar
● 2 large Eggs, room temperature
● 2 teaspoons Almond Extract
● 3 cups All-purpose Flour
● 1½ teaspoons Baking Powder
● 1 teaspoon Salt
● Red Gel Food Coloring
● Green Gel Food Coloring

Easy Almond Checkerboard Cookies Mise en Place:

● Stand-up Mixer (paddle attachment, whisk attachment, large bowl, etc.) or Hand Mixer (electric mixer)
● Measuring Cup
● Measuring Spoons
● Rubber Spatula
● Medium Bowl
● Sharp Knife
● Plastic Wrap
● Cookie Sheets (baking sheets)
● Parchment Paper
● Wire Rack

Easy Almond Checkerboard Cookies Recipe Directions:

1. In the large bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy.

2. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until just combined.
3. Add the almond extract and beat in.

4. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

5. Turn the mixer on low speed and add the flour mixture slowly to the butter mixture until the dough comes together.

6. Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into four (4) equal pieces.

7. Place one of the dough pieces back into the stand mixer and add red food coloring. Beat on low until thoroughly combined.

8. When the red dough is done, wash out the bowl (you want your mixing bowl to be clean with no trace of colored dough) and add another dough piece to the clean mixing bowl.

9. Add the green food coloring and mix on low until combined.

10. Shape each dough piece into a rectangle approximately 4 inches long and 2 inches square. Try to make sure that each piece is the same size and shape. Wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 2 hours.

11. Using a sharp knife, cut each portion of dough lengthwise into three (3) equal pieces. Cut each of those pieces into another three (3) equal strips. You will be left with 9 equal long strips. Repeat this process with all of the dough portions.

12. Arrange a green strip, then a plain strip, then another green strip side by side, and gently squeeze them together. Do this twice. Next, arrange a plain strip, then a green strip, then another plain strip, and gently push them together. Stack the 3 striped portions on top of each other, ensuring that the colors are alternating and you can see the checkerboard pattern.

12. Repeat step 12 with all of the dough. Wrap each checkerboard log in plastic wrap and use the counter or a cutting board. Lightly press the dough down on all four sides to square it off (you want a square shape for your checkerboard design). Put in the fridge for an additional 15 mins.

13. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
14. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Set aside.

15. Slice each checkerboard cookie to approximately ¼” thickness. Keep the thickness of the cookies as close to the same as possible.

16. Arrange the cookie slices on the prepared baking sheet approximately 1.5-2 inches apart.

17. Bake cookies in a preheated 400°F oven for 6-8 mins or until golden brown on the edges.

18. Remove the baked cookies from the oven and allow the checkerboard cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

19. Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.

Yield: 1

How to Make Easy Almond Checkerboard Cookies Recipe

Print

Learn how to make checkerboard cookies with this easy recipe. Create stunning almond-flavored treats that delight your taste buds and impress your guests.

Prep Time 35 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 13 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 large Eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons Almond Extract
• 3 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1½ teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• Red Gel Food Coloring
• Green Gel Food Coloring

Instructions

1. In the large bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until just combined.
3. Add the almond extract and beat in.
4. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Turn the mixer on low speed and add the flour mixture slowly to the butter mixture until the dough comes together.
6. Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into four (4) equal pieces.
7. Place one of the dough pieces back into the stand mixer and add red food coloring. Beat on low until thoroughly combined.
8. When the red dough is done, wash out the bowl (you want your mixing bowl to be clean with no trace of colored dough) and add another dough piece to the clean mixing bowl.
9. Add the green food coloring and mix on low until combined.
10. Shape each dough piece into a rectangle approximately 4 inches long and 2 inches square. Try to make sure that each piece is the same size and shape. Wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 2 hours.
11. Using a sharp knife, cut each portion of dough lengthwise into three (3) equal pieces. Cut each of those pieces into another three (3) equal strips. You will be left with 9 equal long strips. Repeat this process with all of the dough portions.
12. Arrange a green strip, then a plain strip, then another green strip side by side, and gently squeeze them together. Do this twice. Next, arrange a plain strip, then a green strip, then another plain strip, and gently push them together. Stack the 3 striped portions on top of each other, ensuring that the colors are alternating and you can see the checkerboard pattern.
13. Repeat step 12 with all of the dough. Wrap each checkerboard log in plastic wrap and use the counter or a cutting board. Lightly press the dough down on all four sides to square it off (you want a square shape for your checkerboard design). Put in the fridge for an additional 15 mins.
14. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
15. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Set aside.
16. Slice each checkerboard cookie to approximately ¼" thickness. Keep the thickness of the cookies as close to the same as possible.
17. Arrange the cookie slices on the prepared baking sheet approximately 1.5-2 inches apart.
18. Bake cookies in a preheated 400°F oven for 6-8 mins or until golden brown on the edges.
19. Remove the baked cookies from the oven and allow the checkerboard cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
20. Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

36

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 109Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 84mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 0gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g

Note: for exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information provided is simply a guideline.

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