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    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    Almond Sand Dollar Cookies

    By Wendy Sondov · Published: Jul 14, 2017 · Modified: Jan 8, 2023 · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Almond Sand Dollar Cookies are crunchy, buttery treats that look remarkably like a treasured beachcombing find. A few sliced almonds and cutout holes are such an easy way to decorate these almond flavored cutout cookies.

    Sand Dollar Cookies that look like real sand dollars with almond slices in the centers.

    My family’s favorite vacations have involved the beach. The sound of the ocean is so calming and restorative, especially when we are escaping a Midwest winter! Though my kids did try boogie boarding in Hawaii years ago, we usually spend more time on the sand than in the water. Shelling is my favorite beach activity and I have bowls full of shells as a result. My daughter used her shell collection to fill the glass cylinder bases of two table lamps. Now she has a constant, happy reminder of Sanibel Island in her living room.

    Closeup Sand Dollar Cookie decorated with sliced almonds and holes to look like real sand dollars.

    This month I “adopted” a new deployed troop through Soldiers’ Angels, a female sailor this time! The first things I do after “adopting” a troop are write a quick hello email, send a toiletries package from the Soldiers’ Angeles online store, and send a box of coffee from Community Coffee (Their military program doubles any order sent to military addresses for free!). Then I come up with a theme for my first homemade care package for my new service member. Thinking of Sailor A. out on a huge ship on a huge ocean, made me think that maybe she would enjoy a little sand with all of that water. I decided to send her a “Seas the Day!” beach-in-a-box. Sailor A. won’t have to beachcomb for her Almond Sand Dollar Cookies!

    Stack of almond cookies showing thin round edges.

    Almond Sand Dollar Cookies are made with heat resistant ingredients, to stand up to high summer temperatures with the least possibility of spoilage. This includes using Crisco vegetable shortening instead of butter. If you have any doubts about using Crisco in a cookie, you should know what my taste testers all said.

    Closeup of Almond Sand Dollar Cookies decorated with almonds and holes.

    Because these cookies contain almonds and I am allergic to all tree nuts, I couldn’t taste them. Almonds are the one tree nut I can bake with without an allergic reaction, but I can’t eat them. So I took a bag full of cookies with me to the dog park. Not for the dogs. (Dogs are lousy taste testers because they love everything!) I shared the Almond Sand Dollar Cookies with my human friends. As they nibbled bits of cookie, I questioned. I asked about texture, sweetness, amount of flavoring. I asked for comparison between two different cookies. Every person I asked preferred the Crisco cookie over the butter cookie without knowing what the different ingredients were. They said the Crisco cookie was less dry and had a better crunch. Most importantly, they all said that Almond Sand Dollar Cookies are delicious.

    Plate of cookies surrounded by sea shells.

    If an oceanside retreat isn’t possible, you can still bring a bit of the beach to your cookie jar or care package with Almond Sand Dollar Cookies.  These light, crunchy cookies are sure to create smiles with their looks and flavor!

    Stay tuned for details on the rest of the Seas the Day care package contents in my next Monday Box post.

    More recipes for a beach theme or ocean theme

    Watermelon Sugar Cookies are slice and bake sugar cookies that look just like a slice of watermellon!

    Coconut Milk Snack Cake has a lovely soft texture and the light, tropical flavor of coconut.

    Palm Tree and Pineapple Sugar Cookies use unique decorating to ensure these beautiful cookies can travel in hot weather.

    Related recipes

    Marzipan Cookies are delicious European almond cookies with the crunch of almonds on the outside and chewy marzipan on the inside.

    Almond Flour Cookie Bars are soft and cake-like with chocolate chips. These delicoius cookies are naturally gluten free and Passover friendly.

    Italian Almond Cookies, Pasticcini di Mandorle, are super simple to make with just a handful of ingredients.

    Marzipan Springerle Candy looks like a cookie and tastes like candy. These beautiful almond candies make wonderful gifts.

    Ready to bake? Join the free membership group to get new recipes and a newsletter delivered to your inbox! You can also stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’d love to stay in touch!

    Almond Sand Dollar Cookies

    Almond Sand Dollar Cookies

    These crunchy, buttery almond cookies are easy to decorate to look just like a treasure from the beach.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 24
    Calories: 203kcal
    Author: Wendy Sondov
    Adapted From: Stephanie Manley @ Copycat.com

    Ingredients

    Cookies

    • 1 cup butter flavored vegetable shortening Crisco
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 large egg room temperature
    • 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1-4 teaspoons water as needed

    Decorations

    • 120 pieces sliced almonds
    • 3-4 tablespoons sparkling or granulated sugar for decorating
    • 2 pieces 2” each cut from pastic drinking straws, one plastic regular straw and one plastic smoothie straw
    • 1 toothpick

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 325°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the shortening and sugar.
    • One at a time, beat in egg, almond extract, baking powder and salt.
    • Gradually add in the flour. If the dough is dry and crumbly, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the dough forms a ball. If the dough is too soft to work with, refrigerate for one hour to firm.
    • Working with one half of the dough at a time, roll out the dough to ¼” thickness between two sheets of wax paper.
    • Use a 2 ½” circle cookie cutter to cut out dough circles. Place the circles 2” apart on the prepared baking sheet. Continue until all of the dough has been rolled out and cut into circles.
    • Press 5 almond slices onto the center of each cookie, like the petals on a flower.
    • Use the pieces of plastic straw like cookie cutters. Press the bottom of the smoothie straw into the dough to create a hole between two of the almonds. Insert the toothpick into the straw to dislodge the dough cutout. Press the bottom of the small straw into the cookie making 2 holes on each side of the larger hole.
    • When all of the cookies are decorated with almonds and holes, sprinkle with sparkling or granulated sugar.
    • Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden. Remove from the oven. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies onto a wire rack to cool completely.
    • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for at least 2 weeks.

    Notes

    Packing tips
    The cookies are sturdier when wrapped in pairs, bottoms together, in plastic wrap. For longer shipping times, double wrap in plastic wrap or use a vacuum sealer. Stack wrapped bundles in an airtight container or freezer weight ziplock bag.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheMondayBox or tag #themondaybox!

    First Published: July 15, 2017. Last Updated: January 8, 2023. Updated for better reader experience.

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    Comments

    1. Laurel

      July 16, 2021 at 1:34 pm

      5 stars
      These turned really good! They are super cute and perfect for our family beach trip. At first I was a little worried that they might not turn out looking very pretty, but they did! I did have to add quite a bit of water because the dough was dry, and it took me longer than I thought it would to prepare them, but it was worth it. They taste great!

      Reply
      • Wendy Sondov

        July 20, 2021 at 9:08 pm

        Hi, Laurel. What fun to have sand dollar cookies on your beach trip! I'm glad they turned out pretty and tasty!

        Reply
    2. Elizabeth A

      January 31, 2018 at 9:30 pm

      Hi! So do you think this recipe is just as good with real butter rather than Crisco? I could go either way, really — just curious. I’d like to make them for friends joining me for a beach house escape. Thank you!

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        February 01, 2018 at 8:26 am

        Hi, Elizabeth! I tried this recipe with both butter and Crisco. All of my taste testers preferred the Crisco cookies. You CAN make them with butter, but I think Crisco produces a lighter, crunchier cookie. These would be PERFECT for a beach get-away!

        Reply
    3. Jessi @ Practically Functional

      August 03, 2017 at 11:20 am

      Oh yum, these look totally delicious Wendy! And totally like real sand dollars too, how cool!

      I just wanted to let you know that you were featured as a Rockstar at last week's Creativity Unleashed party! Congrats, and thanks for sharing at our party!

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        August 03, 2017 at 11:29 am

        Thank you, Jessi! There is something magical about sand dollars, I think. 🙂 Thanks so much for the feature on Creativity Unleashed!! And thanks for hosting. 🙂

        Reply
    4. April J Harris

      July 30, 2017 at 8:51 am

      I love Sand Dollars - my late Dad used to find them on the beach for me. These cookies are a lovely way to remember them - and what a great care package for someone at sea. Pinned and scheduled to share on Twitter. Thank you so much for being a part of Hearth and Soul. Hope to 'see' you at the party when we return from summer break on Monday August 7th, Wendy! Have a lovely week ahead!

      Reply
    5. Karren

      July 26, 2017 at 10:35 pm

      Love going to Chinese Restaurant to buy their almond cookies, but I bet your recipe is delicious!!!
      Thanks for sharing on Oh My Heartsie Girl.
      Have a great week. Come again soon!

      Reply
    6. Ilana

      July 24, 2017 at 8:18 am

      These cookies are gorgeous! This post really brought me back to the many childhood vacations spent on Sanibel Island. While I have boxes of shells collected on Sanibel, I never found any sand dollars there. But I have discovered that Pismo Beach (California) is littered with whole sand dollars. I even saw a live sand dollar on the beach in Pismo at low tide. It was purple and fuzzy. Thanks for this lovely recipe.

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        July 24, 2017 at 8:29 am

        Thank you, Ilana! As I am sure you know, so much of what is on the beach at Sanibel depends on storms at sea. One year we collected buckets full of dried sand dollars and another year, there were lots of sand dollars on the beach, but they were all alive! Like you, we don't usually find too many. Just gorgeous shells! I've never been to Pismo Beach, but now you've made me curious. 🙂

        Reply
    7. Miz Helen

      July 23, 2017 at 5:15 pm

      I pinned your delicious San Dollar Cookies and can't wait to make this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing your post with us at Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you will come back and visit us again real soon!
      Miz Helen

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        July 23, 2017 at 5:37 pm

        Thanks, Miz Helen! Thank you also for pinning and for hosting Full Plate Thursday! I hope you enjoy the cookies. 🙂

        Reply
    8. Amy

      July 23, 2017 at 1:31 am

      I love sand dollars, and these cookies are beautiful. Your pictures are also awesome. Thank you for sharing at Friday Favorites Link Party. Shared and pinned.

      Reply
    9. marye

      July 21, 2017 at 11:03 am

      I prefer using Crisco for most of the cookies I send to my sons in the military when they are overseas for just that reason - they are fine even after the three weeks it takes them to get there! These looks delicious! Pinning to try later. 🙂

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        July 22, 2017 at 8:42 pm

        Thanks, Marye! Though I have found that not every recipe can be made with Crisco, for my summer military care packages, I seek out or create recipe that use Crisco for the desert safe quality and, as you mentioned, long lasting freshness.Thank your sons, please, for their service and thank you as their mom!

        Reply
    10. Jean | DelightfulRepast.com

      July 20, 2017 at 3:47 pm

      Though I don't use Crisco, this was a logical reason to make an exception! Wonderful that they could pass the taste test as well. This is such a beautiful cookie!

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        July 22, 2017 at 8:48 pm

        Thank you, Jean! You can use butter in this recipe, if that is your preference. The butter cookies were delicious. I understand that some bakers just don't like using shortening. I am learning that each fat (butter, shortening, nut butters, oils, etc) produces different qualities in baked goods and the best results occur when the best fat for that recipe is used.

        Reply
    11. saltandserenity

      July 20, 2017 at 11:23 am

      I love all things with nuts so these cookies are going on my to bake list! I am so surprised by the results with Crisco. I always thought butter is best. I love learning new things from you!!

      Reply
    12. Ashley@CookNourishBliss

      July 18, 2017 at 2:42 pm

      These are just so fun Wendy! I love how they look so beach-y and summer-y! Not to mention that I absolutely adore anything with almond!!

      Reply
    13. Monica

      July 17, 2017 at 2:31 pm

      It's hard to think of cookies that are good representations of summer but now I have these! I love all things almond and I love how you decorated them so simply but yet so effectively. It does make me think of the beach, which is where we were just yesterday. : ) These are so lovely and you can't be a sandy almond cookie with tea or for dessert. Simple is the best. And I'm not surprised about the shortening...I need to try it one day!

      Reply
    14. Tricia @ Saving room for dessert

      July 15, 2017 at 9:19 pm

      These are the most perfect cookies I've ever seen. They are absolutely beautiful. You are such a gifted baker. They remind me of Sanibel and how I wish we were going this year!

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        July 16, 2017 at 3:42 pm

        Thank you, Tricia! I truly appreciate you enthusiasm and support! My cookies aren't perfect and I am certainly not gifted....and perhaps that is the point. If I can do it, anyone reading the blog can do it too! One thing is for sure, I have fun! 🙂 Sanibel is the only place that I return to over and over and never get tired of!

        Reply

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    I'm Wendy, a baker, care package maker, and smile creator. On The Monday Box you’ll find care package inspiration and recipes for delicious treats that make it easy for you to share home baked love. Let’s spread happiness, one cookie at a time!

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