If you didn’t know, every food served during Lunar New Year has a meaning. Almond cookies were once considered a luxury item because almonds had to be imported, making them rare and reserved for special occasions. Over time, they became a symbol of prosperity, wealth, and good fortune for the new year.

Instead of refined sugar, these cookies are naturally sweetened with dates, adding fiber and minerals while keeping the sweetness balanced. Almonds provide healthy fats and protein, and studies have shown that pairing almonds with carbohydrate-rich meals may help reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing digestion and glucose absorption.

Lunar New Year meals are delicious but mostly carb-forward (sticky rice, sweets, glutinous rice cakes) and I’m not skipping any of it! But by incorporating almonds into the meal, I get to honor tradition while supporting blood sugar balance.

Love the color and texture of these cookies!

Almond Cookies (Refined Sugar-Free)

These Almond Cookies are naturally sweetened with dates and made without refined sugar. Along with being a popular Lunar New Year dessert, they symbolize prosperity and are rich in healthy fats and fiber from almonds.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Vietnamese

Servings cookies

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Ingredients

6 pitted dates
⅓ cup almonds
100 mL soy milk
2 cups almond flour
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp maple syrup, adjust level to sweetness preference
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 egg, for egg wash
8 almonds, for pressing onto the cookies

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Instructions
Start Cooking

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a blender, combine the dates, almonds, and soy milk. Blend until smooth and thick.
6 pitted dates, ⅓ cup almonds, 100 mL soy milk
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. Add the almond-date mixture and mix until a dough forms.
2 cups almond flour, ¼ tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt
Knead the dough until fully combined. If the dough feels too dry, add a small splash of soy milk until it just comes together and holds its shape.
1 Tbsp maple syrup, 1 Tbsp olive oil
Line a 9”×13” baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into evenly sized balls and place them on the baking sheet. Gently press each ball to flatten slightly, then press a whole almond into the center.
8 almonds
Lightly brush the tops with beaten egg wash.
1 egg
Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for an additional 3–5 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.

Notes

When forming the dough, add more flour or milk/oil as necessary to get the dough consistency to form.

Hi, I’m Tam!

I’m a Vietnamese American and the creator behind this recipe blog. I was previously a scientist but now do recipe development and content creation. I turned my love for research and food into intentional, science-backed cooking…

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