These Lace Cookies are really simple to make with just seven basic ingredients. To prepare these cookies, no specialized tools are required. These cookies are stackable, buttery, and make a wonderful holiday gift. These cookies are difficult to refuse due to their nutty and caramel flavors!
Due to their thinness and delicate nature, these lace cookies are a Christmas staple and are ideal when you're needing something sweet after a large meal. Because of its delicate and lace-like look as the sugar bubbles and leaves tiny gaps in the cookies, lace cookies got their name. They are quite easy to make because the cookie dough just takes a few minutes to come together on the burner. For these cookies, there's no need to get the mixer out! Try my no-bake haystack cookies, Mexican wedding cookies, or snickerdoodles for another festive cookie recipe!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
Brown sugar — brown sugar adds a delicious molasses flavor to the cookies. If you don’t have any brown sugar.
Corn syrup — standard corn syrup is not the same as high-fructose corn syrup. HFCS is sweeter than standard corn syrup, so make sure to check the label.
Almond flour — almond flour allows the cookie to spread more, for the iconic lace cookies appearance, than if you use regular flour. It also adds a mild sweetness to the cookies.
HOW TO MAKE LACE COOKIES
1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Salt, corn syrup, and brown sugar should be added.
2. Stir continuously for 3 minutes, or until the mixture simmers. Get rid of the heat.
3. Combine the vanilla, all-purpose flour, and almond flour. When the mixture begins to thicken and becomes cool enough to handle, give it 10 to 15 minutes to cool.
4. Quickly form a ball in your palms using a spoonful of batter. Place onto sheet pans with liners. Bake each sheet of cookies separately for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, or until the cookies have spread very thinly and have mostly stopped bubbling. Before moving the cookies to a wire rack, let them firm up on the baking sheet.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- As the lace cookies bake, keep a close eye on them, especially as the baking time comes to a conclusion. If you leave the cookies in the oven too long, they will immediately burn because they are so thin.
- For the best-tasting almond lace cookies, swap out the artificial vanilla extract with real vanilla extract.
- Instead of using margarine, use genuine butter since it caramelizes and browns more naturally than margarine.
- Ensure that only parchment paper is used to line the baking sheets. Because the cookies won't bake up thin and lacy if you use tin foil or grease your baking sheet, avoid doing so.
- Make careful to substitute almond flour for almond meal. Almond meal has a coarser texture and won't produce the same outcomes.
- When transferring the cookies once they have cooled, use a spatula to prevent breaking.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT ARE SOME VARIATIONS?
Here are some modifications you could make to your lace cookies:
- Once the cookies have cooled, drizzle some caramel or chocolate ganache over them.
- Make a cookie sandwich by placing Nutella or melted chocolate between two cookies.
- For a zesty flavor, add orange extract or zest.
- Try almond extract to enhance the almond flavors instead of vanilla.
HOW DO I STORE THESE?
For up to a week, keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dry location. Keep the cookies away from dampness due to their texture; otherwise, they will lose their crispness. To prevent the layers of cookies from adhering together, insert paper in between them.
CAN I FREEZE THEM?
Despite being delicate, you can freeze these cookies. You can freeze them for up to three months by carefully transferring them to a freezer-safe container. Before serving, let them acclimate to room temperature.