Almond Cookies (Gluten free)

I hadn’t planned on adding to my ever-growing cookie collection—after years of recipe testing, how many more could I possibly need? But when I decided to recreate iconic foods in film, I couldn’t resist making the almond cookies featured in Everything Everywhere All at Once. These cookies stand out from my others for two reasons. First, they’re entirely gluten-free. To achieve this (and to minimise spread, which was a struggle during early tests), I rely on a generous amount of cornflour. Unconventional? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely. Second, there’s no dough chilling required—just mix, portion, and bake. They’re shockingly quick to make. A note if you’re aiming for the signature smiley-face version: The trick is to work fast and press lightly. (I lucked out with an IKEA glass that’s the perfect size for the smile, but a spoon or other circular kitchen tool will do in a pinch.)

Almond Cookies (Gluten free)
Almond Cookies (Gluten free)

Makes 16

Hands-on Time 10 minutes

Baking Time 15 minutes

Print friendly version

Ingredients

  • 125g unsalted butter (softened)

  • 100g light brown sugar

  • 90g caster sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 tsp almond extract

  • 100g ground almonds

  • 300g cornflour

  • 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

  • 1/2 tsp fine salt

  • 32 blanched whole almonds (optional, for decoration)

  • 2 tbsp seedless raspberry or strawberry jam

Equipment

  • Freestanding mixer with paddle attachment

  • Spatula

  • Baking parchment

  • Knife

  • Baking sheet (ideally aluminium)

  • Small glass or spoon

  • Wire rack

Method

1. Preheat the oven

  • Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C (fan)/325°F/Gas Mark 3.

2. Make the cookie dough

  • In a freestanding mixer, beat the butter, light brown sugar, and caster sugar for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

  • Add the egg and almond extract, mixing briefly to combine.

  • Add the ground almonds, cornflour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Mix until just combined, scraping down the sides with a spatula.

3. Shape the cookies

  • Roll the dough into a log on a piece of baking parchment and cut into 16 equal discs (about 4cm in circumference).

  • Place 6–8 discs on a lined baking sheet, spaced 10cm apart.

  • For smiley cookies, press 2 almonds into the top of each disc to resemble eyes.

4. Bake the cookies

  • Bake on the middle shelf for 15 minutes.

  • Remove from the oven and, for smiley cookies, gently press a glass or spoon into each cookie to create a smile.

5. Cool and decorate

  • Let the cookies rest for a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

  • If making smiley cookies, fill the indentations with jam using a spoon or piping bag.

Enjoy!