Dorie Greenspan's 3-Ingredient Almond Crackle Cookies
Author Notes: When you call Dorie Greenspan to say you’re coming over, this is what she bakes. “It takes longer to preheat the oven than to put these cookies together,” she wrote to me. “I love them for a million reasons, but chiefly because they're a simple pleasure that can be shared on the spur of the moment.” She includes a perfectly round variation in her book using muffin tins (and plenty of baker's spray to help them break free), but we preferred the ease and charm of the freeform version. Adapted slightly from Dorie's Cookies (Rux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016). —Genius Recipes
Makes 20 cookies
- 6 tablespoons (75 grams) sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/4 cups (125 grams) sliced almonds (blanched or unblanched)
- Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat it to 325° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Have a small cookie scoop or a teaspoon at hand.
- Whisk the sugar and egg together in a bowl for a minute or so, until well blended and just a bit thick. Add the almonds and whisk until evenly coated with the mixture. You need to use the batter right away — it separates as it stands. In fact, it’s good to give the batter a stir or two as you’re spooning it out.
- Each cookie needs 2 teaspoons of batter. Scoop the batter onto the baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches of space between the mounds of batter, and flatten each mound with the back of a fork.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, rotating the pans midway through baking. The cookies should be toasted-almond beige, and dry and crackled on top. Transfer the baking sheets to racks and let the cookies cool for about 10 minutes. Carefully lift the free-form cookies with a wide spatula.
- Note: If your kitchen is cool and dry, you can keep these in a tin or paper bag overnight. Keep them longer, and they might soften, a condition easily reversed: Place the cookies on a lined baking sheet and warm them in a 350° F oven for about 6 minutes; cool on the sheet.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
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Topics: Cookies!, Baking, Dessert, 5 Ingredients or Fewer, Genius Recipes, One-Bowl Baking, Tips & Techniques
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10 days ago shozgirl
I have now made variations at least 50 times. Always a huge hit. Anything can go in, have taken to premixing and storing almonds or other nut/sunflower seeds/raisens/granola or oats/any dried fruit/ chocolate chips....endless possibilities. I do add pinch of sea salt Have found 375 superior to 350 for crispness and avoiding soggy 2nd day cookies. Must cool before removing from Silpat.
10 days ago Lynn D.
I was scheduled to bring cookies to a friend for tea in two hours. I had the sugar and egg mixed. I opened the never before opened bag of almonds and it was full of meal moths! I chunked up walnuts in the food processor. It worked out fine, but I think I would like it even better with almonds.
2 months ago jocelyng
So good!
3 months ago Gwen
I've made these twice since they appeared recently on Food52's Facebook. The first time I used parchment paper, and some of them spread more than others, but they tasted good. The second time I made them I used greased muffin pans to make them more uniform in appearance, and they stuck to the pans. I won't be using the muffin pans for this recipe again.
3 months ago Judy Sennesh
I make these with egg whites only. 1 egg white and 1/3 cup sugar whisked by hand, 1 cup of toasted sliced almonds and the grated rind of a lemon. 300 degrees for 20 minutes. Divine!
3 months ago Nancy Lyon Johnson
I just served these with coffee at a tapas luncheon I prepared for 12. Easy, wonderful, and they look as if you made them yourself (in a good way). Of all the dishes I prepared, this is the one that got the most recipe requests. I used turbinado sugar because it's what I had on hand; next time, I'll try them with a touch of salt. A great recipe as is . . . with lots of creative possibilities.
3 months ago X
I made these with pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie spice, a dash of cayenne, and brown sugar. The came out fantastic! Then I made them again with the almonds using coconut sugar--also very, good, thoug I preferred the pumpkin seed ones. I will try them with walnuts and maple sugar next. Great idea for versatile quicky cookies. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
4 months ago n f
I've just made them - used brown sugar 65 g, and a pinch of salt. Very easy and very tasty!
4 months ago michael.sidman.5
It just occurred to me that this is a great Passover recipe! Done and done!
4 months ago shozgirl
I am adding I too have made, remade and made more its so easy. HUGE hit at a gathering, my lady friends ate way more than they usually do. Ran out of almonds so last night used oatmeal, raisins, sunflower seeds and choc chips. Amazing. Always adding sea salt now. So simple, a small bowl yields 18-20 depending on size. Must use 2 pans. Silpat and letting them dry is key.
4 months ago Sherry Wright
I won't even shame myself by admitting how many times I have made these since I first made them about a month ago. They are THAT easy to make and oh so tasty! I have shared this recipe with about 6 people and they all tell me that they have shared it too. For those that can't eat nuts, try cereal! I tried it with corn flakes and am going to try honey nut cherrios next. The nut ones are best but the cereal ones are good too. I always add cinnamon but aside from that, I go right by the recipe. This has moved to the top tier of my cookie recipes. Thanks so much for sharing.
4 months ago Kristen Miglore
Kristen is the Creative Director of Food52
Love the cereal idea. Our Events Director Eunice recently was planning an event at the office for a lot of guests with allergies, including nuts, so we decided to swap in coconut flakes (the big kind that are sometimes called coconut chips). They worked great, too!
4 months ago shozgirl
Have made a few times now. Done at 350 10 mins and worked...have used both white surgar and raw...there is a difference both good. Added sea salt as others suggested and some chocolate chips...so good, big it, easy and love it!
4 months ago Tazmin A. Shariff
I couldn't wait to make these and hurried to the store to buy the almonds. They're easy to make but sickly sweet. I'm not a fan of meringues so I guess that should have been my warning.
4 months ago Maureen
I didn't find them overly sweet. Did you try the salt trick?
4 months ago Maureen
Finally tried this recipe exactly as written. Worked perfectly, no problem removing from silpats after allowing a 10 minute rest as instructed. But our first bites found them rather bland. Then I ground sea salt on them...OMG! What a difference that made. Can't stop eating them. I don't know if adding salt before baking will create the same magic...I plan to just grind salt on them after being baked. I'd love to hear from anyone who used choco chips or other ingredients. Thanks, Dorie!
4 months ago Lisa
I add a 1/4 t salt along with a couple of drops of vanilla extract. Also 1/2 white, 1/2 brown sugar. Simple and delicious.
4 months ago CHRISTINA SNODDY
would they still turn out if you cut the sugar in half
4 months ago BocaCindi
My neighbor invited me for tea. I told her I would be over in a half an hour. Preheated oven while I whipped these up. Sugar and egg, one minute. Folded in almonds. Small meatball scoop on two sheet pans with Silpats. Bake 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Delicious!!! What a find this is. 15, not 20, cookies. They won't be around until tomorrow, so will have no idea if they get soggy.
5 months ago katem70
Has anyone tried these with a little lavender?
5 months ago Betsy Beinert
Approximately how many cookies does this recipe make?
5 months ago cookycat
Recipe says 20 cookies. The second time I made them I made them a little smaller and got 24 cookies.
5 months ago Kathryn Grace
I just baked these and they are a hit! So easy. All the suggestions here in the comments for changing them up sound wonderful too. Shared this as my pick for #RecipeOfTheDay. Thank you for a delightful treat.
5 months ago mimi
Not that easy. A beginner baker doesn't have a whisk, parchment paper or silicone baking mats lying around.
5 months ago Kate
Hey Mimi, true, true. I am a huge improvisor though, as you can tell from my post. No whisk? No problem! Use a fork and beat the heck out of the eggs and sugar. Parchment paper is pretty inexpensive, readily available and reusable. Give it another try. This recipe is so nice. I think some nuts can be expensive but use an ingredient you already have in your pantry...chocolate chips, pretzels, raisens, cereal....skys the limit as the egg and sugar will bind anything!!
Showing 25 out of 61 comments