A little reason to celebrate
National Chinese Almond Cookie Day
Food ยท April 9
A food day for the Chinese almond cookie, the crisp, buttery round with a single almond pressed into its center.
National Chinese Almond Cookie Day falls on Friday, April 9, 2027. That is 164 days away.
Chinese almond cookies are pale, round and crumbly, usually with one whole almond or an almond half pressed into the middle before baking. They are often brushed with beaten egg, which gives the top a light golden shine.
The texture is the main event. A good one is crisp at the edge and sandy inside, closer to shortbread than to a chewy cookie. The dough is simple: flour, sugar, fat and almond flavor, sometimes with ground almonds mixed in. Older recipes often call for lard, which helps that crumbly bite, while many home bakers use butter or shortening instead.
In the United States, many people know these cookies from Chinese bakeries and restaurants, where they sit in glass cases or come in small boxes. They are also a common sight around Lunar New Year, when round, golden treats are popular. For a lot of families they are a tin-on-the-counter cookie, the kind that disappears one at a time.
Marking the day can be as easy as buying a few from a local bakery or baking a batch at home. The dough comes together quickly and needs no special tools, just a thumb or the bottom of a glass to flatten each ball. They keep well in an airtight container, and they pair nicely with a cup of hot tea.
The almond on top does more than decorate. It marks the center, so you can see at a glance that each cookie has been pressed flat and evenly.
Ways to celebrate
- Bake a batch of almond cookies and press an almond into each one.
- Visit a local Chinese bakery and try their version.
- Pair a few cookies with a pot of hot tea.
- Share a tin of almond cookies with neighbors or coworkers.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday, April 9 |
| 2027 | Friday, April 9 |
| 2028 | Sunday, April 9 |
| 2029 | Monday, April 9 |
| 2030 | Tuesday, April 9 |
Also on April 9
- National Gin and Tonic Day
- National Unicorn Day
- National Name Yourself Day
- Appomattox Day
- National Cherish an Antique Day
- National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day
- National Winston Churchill Day
Categories: Food days