12 Days of Christmas Cookies
These Festive Almond Crinkle Cookies are incredibly soft and chewy. A warm vanilla almond flavor makes these cookies as delicious as they are easy!


My mom made these red and green crinkle cookies every year along with chocolate crackles! They were a nice break from the arduous, yet delicious, rolled cookies! {cough, cough. Gingerbread}
Made with just four ingredients, they were by far the easiest cookies on the list!


I added ½ teaspoon of almond extract to really pop the flavor! I’ve also tried ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, which is delightful, and I plan to try peppermint next year!


The texture of the cookies is easily customizable as well. The longer you bake them, the cakier they become. They are made with cake mix after all!
My mom and I like ours just shy of doughy, but my husband prefers them closer to cake. Just know that the longer you bake them, the faster they dry out. They are best within 5 days but the cakey ones should really be eaten within 3.


Each bite of these delightfully chewy cookies will deliver bright almond flavor – just try not to breathe or powdered sugar will get everywhere!
An easy, colorful addition to your Christmas cookie platter or gift box!


I know I said these were the easiest cookies ever, and they absolutely are, but things can go awry with even the simplest recipes. (Pie crust comes to mind!)
A few notes to make your Almond Crinkle Cookies successful:
- There are different size cake mix boxes out there. I know this because I accidentally bought a small one and my dough was super oily and I had to throw it out. Tear. Make sure you pick up a 16.5 ounce box. I used Duncan Hines.
- I prefer the liquid food coloring to the gel food coloring in this recipe. The liquid disperses better in the batter. To get the right color with the gel, you had to use so much I could taste it. Blech! It was also difficult to incorporate, so I ended up over-mixing my batter. Again, another batch wasted.
- When I say generously roll your dough in powdered sugar, I do mean GENEROUSLY! As in powdered sugar is caked on the ball and there is powdered sugar all over your hands, the counter and the cookie sheet.
- The cook time will drastically alter the texture of your cookie. If you do not want dry, cakey cookies, then watch them!


These Festive Almond Crinkle Cookies are for the tenth day of my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies! You won’t want to miss the No Bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls, Chocolate Pecan Tassies, Molasses Sugar Cookies, Old Fashioned Gingersnaps, Peanut Butter Blossoms, Old Fashioned Oat Lace Cookies, Raspberry Linzer Cookies, Holiday Bark or Cherry Pecan Cookies!
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Festive Almond Crinkle Cookies
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 30 Cookies 1x
Description
These Festive Almond Crinkle Cookies are incredibly soft and chewy and impossibly easy! A warm vanilla almond flavor makes these cookies as delicious as they are easy!
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix [16.5 oz]
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup canola oil
- ½ teaspoon almond extract or vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Food Coloring if desired (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place about ½ cup powdered sugar in a bowl and set aside.
- In a medium bowl mix together the cake mix, eggs, oil and extract until few lumps remain.
- If you are going to add food coloring, do so now; mix to combine. I divided my dough in half and then colored half green and half red.
- Roll dough into balls, approximately 1.5 inches across, and then roll in powdered sugar until they are generously coated. Place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. The dough is very soft and will not stay in ball form, which is fine.
- Bake in preheated oven for 7-11 minutes. 7 for very soft, underbaked cookies and 10-11 for cakier, lighter cookies.
- Let cool 5 minutes on baking sheet and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
Tis the Season for festive desserts!
No Bake Gingersnap Brandy Balls
Grandma’s Molasses Sugar Cookies
Spiced Apple Cider Cranberry Cupcakes