Made from only 6 ingredients, these easy lace cookies are ready in 30 minutes and they taste like sweet brown butter and caramel. Sandwich with a little chocolate for an extra special treat. Everyone loves these and they’re gluten free too!
Welcome to day 7 of Sally’s Cookie Palooza! If you’re just joining us, here are all the recipes published so far:
- Peppermint Bark Cookies
- Spritz Cookies
- Christmas Cookies in a Jar (with free printable!)
- Santa’s Whiskers Cookies
- Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Gingerbread House (December Baking Challenge!)
Day 7 calls for something easy. So easy you’ll think you’re doing something wrong. Made from only 6 ingredients, these lace cookies are ready in 30 minutes and they taste like sweet brown butter and caramel. As if you took caramel, mixed it with brown butter, and made it into a thin and crispy cookie. THEY’RE HEAVEN.
What are Lace Cookies?
Lace cookies are very thin and crunchy cookies made from butter, sugar, salt, and other ingredients. The other ingredients vary depending on the recipe. Some recipes use oats and flour, other lace cookie recipes use nuts. Lace cookies get their name from their delicate and see-through appearance. My mom always used to make these—they’re a beautiful cookie!
They’re also one of my favorite gluten free dessert recipes. It’s nice to have a gluten free option among your spread of Christmas cookies!
How to Make Lace Cookies
In an effort to keep these gluten free AND to add elevated flavor, my lace cookie recipe uses almond flour. In addition to almond flour, you’ll also need: butter, brown sugar, salt, milk or corn syrup, and vanilla extract. That’s it!
- The cookie dough is prepared on the stove. And I use the term “cookie dough” loosely as this is more like a cake batter. All the ingredients, except for the vanilla extract (stirred in later), are cooked for a few minutes in a saucepan before spooning onto the baking sheet. This cooking stage melts the ingredients together, while baking in the oven will create caramelized sugar and brown butter flavors.
- No chilling the cookie dough. But let it rest for about 5 minutes. The cookie dough will slightly thicken, making spooning onto the baking sheets easier.
- Only 1 scant teaspoon of cookie dough per cookie. Because they’ll spread!
- Short baking time – only 8 minutes. The cookies won’t spread out at first, but around the 4 minute mark, they’ll begin their spreading journey! Listen to the butter sizzling around the edges. I love these unique cookies!
Forget everything I taught you about how to prevent cookies from spreading. You want lace cookies to be extra thin and crisp because that’s where all the caramelization happens. 🙂
Be Extra
Though lace cookies have the most interesting flavor and texture, it’s Christmastime which means we can add a little flair. Sandwich your lace cookies with a generous spread of Nutella or melted chocolate and prepare for the cookie sandwich of a lifetime. Can you truly think of a better flavor combination than butter, caramelized sugar, vanilla, almond, and chocolate?! Nutella can get a little messy, so if you’re gifting or traveling with the lace cookies—I suggest melted chocolate. Unlike Nutella, melted chocolate will set. I have instructions for chocolate in the recipe notes below.
If you love adding a little chocolate to your cookies, give your chocolate ginger cookies and pinwheel cookies a dip in chocolate, too!
With an ingredient line up like this, how can lace cookies not taste good?
I just love how quick and simple these are—much appreciated during the busy holiday season and PERFECT if you want a unique cookie recipe to serve alongside the classics like Christmas sugar cookies and shortbread. This recipe also joins 30+ others in my collection of Quick Dessert Recipes—ready in 1 hour or less!
Easy Lace Cookies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 30-32 cookies or 15-16 sandwiches
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Made from only 6 ingredients, these lace cookies are ready in 30 minutes and they taste like sweet brown butter and caramel. Sandwich with a little chocolate for an extra special treat. Everyone loves these and they’re gluten free too!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup (130g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup (75g) almond flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) light or dark corn syrup or milk*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional: 1/2 cup Nutella or melted chocolate (see note)
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan on low heat. Once melted, add the brown sugar, almond flour, salt, and milk/corn syrup. Cook and whisk until sugar has dissolved and ingredients are completely combined, around 3-4 minutes. (Note: If melted butter is separating from the mixture, remove the pan from heat and vigorously whisk until it is all combined again. It will eventually come back together.)
- Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract. Mixture will be grainy and shiny. Allow cookie dough to sit and thicken for about 5-10 minutes as the oven preheats. The mixture will thicken as it cools down.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Drop scant teaspoonfuls (1 scant teaspoon of mixture per cookie, not Tablespoon) 3 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden brown around the edges. The edges and centers will sizzle and bubble as the cookies bake!
- Allow cookies to cool for 5 full minutes on the baking sheets before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Cookies dry and crisp up as they cool.
- Once cool, enjoy cookies or sandwich with Nutella or melted chocolate. To sandwich, spread either Nutella or melted chocolate onto the bottom of one cooled cookie and sandwich with another. See recipe note if using chocolate.
- Cookies without Nutella/chocolate filling will stay fresh covered at room temperature for 1 week. Cookies with Nutella/chocolate will stay fresh covered at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Baked cookies, with or without Nutella/chocolate filling, freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, if desired, before serving. You can prepare the cookie dough in steps 1 and 2, cover tightly once cooled, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature, then continue with the recipe.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Saucepan | Whisk | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Cooling Rack
- Almond Flour: I like using Bob’s Red Mill brand almond flour, found in the baking aisle of major grocery stores. If you can’t find almond flour in the store, you can make your own by simply pulsing almonds until they reach a gritty and rough flour-like consistency. Instead of almond flour, you can use the same amount of oat flour. (Buy oat flour or pulse whole oats into a flour.) All-purpose flour isn’t ideal because the cookies will not spread or caramelize. Some readers have used coconut flour, but note that the taste and texture is off. I strongly recommend almond flour.
- Either 1 Tablespoon of milk or corn syrup works in this lace cookie recipe. You need a liquid and the resulting cookie tastes exactly the same no matter which you choose. I prefer corn syrup because I find it makes the cookies just a *little* crispier.
- Nutella can get a little messy, so if you’re gifting or traveling with the lace cookies—I suggest using melted chocolate for sandwiching the cookies. Unlike Nutella, melted chocolate will set. Instead of sandwiching, try dunking the cookies in melted chocolate or drizzling the chocolate on top. Whichever way you prefer, use about 6-8 ounces of chopped semi-sweet chocolate. (I like Ghirardelli or Bakers brand, both found in the baking aisle.) Melt the chopped chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in 15-second increments, stopping and stirring after each until completely smooth. Sandwich, dip, or drizzle onto cooled cookies. Allow chocolate to set completely in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Reader Comments and Reviews
They taste so good but easily crack! I would never be able to spread chocolate on them.
Thank you so much for sharing this. My favorite cookie of all time, 60 + years was from a California restaurant. They do not ship. Now I can make my own.
These are so good! Mine came out very chewy and a little sticky. Is that normal?
hi! can i add finely chopped nuts to this recipe before baking?
Hi Hunter, you can certainly try adding nuts if you’d like — we haven’t tested it so we’re unsure of the exact amount, but there are many recipes out there that do use them if you want to take a look!
These are so easy to make! I used cane syrup instead of corn as I had it on hand and almond extract as somehow I was out of vanilla and they turned out perfectly. I drizzled melted Ghirardelli over the top instead of making sandwiches.
I want to know what you use to make the cookies PERFECTLY round as seen in the photo! Thank you in advance!
Hi Carol, First, you’ll want to make sure they are nice even circles going into the oven. That helps them stay in the round shape. If they’re not even circles, you can use a spoon to help shape the warm cookies back into a circle. Hope this helps!
Can I use coconut sugar or monkfruit as a sub for the brown sugar?
Hi Michelle, We’d love to help but we are not trained in baking with sugar substitutes. For best taste and texture (and so you don’t waste your time trying to adapt this recipe since it may not work properly), it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated for sugar substitutes. Thank you!
I’m allergic to almond flour. I can only eat pecans. Would pecan flour work? Thanks!
Hi Cindy, it’s worth a shot! We’ve only tested the recipe with almond and oat flours. Pecan flour would be wonderful!
First time that I tried making this, totally botched. It didn’t mention that the sugar is supposed to dissolve fully before you put in the other ingredients. Tried the second time and was just fine when taking that into account. Helpful tip if anyone else had the same problem, add in a tablespoon or so at a time of boiling water to help the consistency.
Followed the recipe exactly as written- the cookies came out beautiful and looked professionally made! (obv delicious too!). I wanted to attach a picture but no way to do this? 🙂 Only possible drawback as another baker had mentioned, some cookies were a little greasy (maybe need to use a little less butter? did not need to be baked more). However, this is my new favorite cookie to make and everyone is begging me to make them again. (and again…)!
Hi, great recipe! Do you recommend freezing these? If so, how? Thanks
Hi Rosanne, Baked cookies, with or without Nutella/chocolate filling, freeze well up to 3 months. See recipe notes for more detail!
Would this recipe work using Earth Balance or Miyoko as a substitute for butter to make it dairy free?
Hi Jan, we haven’t tried it, so are unsure of the results. If you decide to try it, please let us know how the cookies turn out!
These are delicious, but mine did not come out crispy. How do I make them crispy or are they supposed to be a little soft?
Hi Kendall, they should be crispy AND chewy! You can bake them slightly longer if you want them a little more crispy. Enjoy!
I just love these cookies. I made those cookies a week before Christmas and I gave some to my sisters, and they just love them. SO do I’d!! I love these cookies.
Hello, thank you for this recipe, can the cookies be frozen and if so how do you recommend freezing them. Thanks a bunch
gave those cookies away for xmas.. they loved it. i found them to be chewy though.. are they suppose to be or crispy? any tips? i surelywant to do them again!
Hi Joelle! They should be crispy and chewy 🙂
I wish I attempted making these sooner! So easy. I think I need to experiment a little more… some batches mostly pretty perfect. Some seemed to get a little too dark on the edges, but not quite ready in the center. Maybe it’s my oven? I used slightly less than a teaspoon for everything scoop. I baked used a silpat @ 350 deg and they needed to be removed at 6min. Any feedback?
After reading the recipe I decided to give it a try. Wow am I glad I did!! It’s now going to be in my Christmas Cookie book that will be made every year! My son absolutely loved them.
These cookies taste SO amazing. But mine are ugly and misshapen. How can I get perfect round cookies like yours?
Hi ReneK, we’re so glad you loved these cookies! Are they nice even circles going into the oven? That helps them stay in the round shape. If they’re not even circles, you can use a spoon to help shape the warm cookies back into a circle. Hope this helps!
Hi! Thanks for a great recipe;
These were easy to make and tasty as well!
One interesting thing is how much longer they took to bake as the dough began to cool down.
I can only bake one sheet at time in my oven, as it’s not convection.
Otherwise this recipe is spot in
I have made these cookies many times. They are perfect if you need a lot of something fast. I always use the corn syrup and they come out nearly perfect every time. I drizzle the chocolate, I think they look pretty drizzled.
They came out perfect. Cooled dough took a little longer to bake 8.5 minutes. Easy, delicious will add to my favorite cookies list.
I have made these successfully in years past. However, this time around my second batch never crisped. They were soft… Should I pop them back in the oven to see if they crisp up?
Hi Barbara, it sounds like they may be underbaked—an extra minute or two in the oven should help!
December 16, 2023
It did not work for me. I made 3 batches. Measured and weighed. It never looked like yours. Went thick right away. I at 70 was not strong enough to keep whisking but for 3-5 min didn’t help. Could my pot be to big? My almond flour is superfine Kirkland brand
Thank you so much for trying the recipe. It could be that the pot is too big. Do you have a smaller pot you could try to use? Also, try turning down the heat. That could help too.
I love this recipe, but I need some help. My first batch has turned out feeling very greasy. I could even se some cookies bleeding butter as they baked. What did I do wrong? Should I use a bit more of my almond flour?
Hi Laura! This is normal, the cookies may have needed to bake longer to crisp up.
Love this recipe, can I use maple syrup instead of milk or corn syrup?
We haven’t tested it but other bakers have reported success using maple syrup in the place of corn syrup here. Let us know if you try it, Violet!
I have made many of Sally’s recipes with no problem.. this one, however did not go well at all. I could not incorporate the melted butter with the rest of the ingredients no matter how hard I whisked. Where did I go wrong?
Hi Carin! Did you try this trick from step 1? If melted butter is separating from the mixture, remove the pan from heat and vigorously whisk until it is all combined again. It will eventually come back together. This will help!
It did not work for me. I made 3 batches. Measured and weighed. It never looked like yours. Went thick right away. I at 70 was not strong enough to keep whisking but for 3-5 min didn’t help. Could my pot be to big? My almond flour is superfine Kirkland brand
I am baking them now. My dough didnt seem as loose as yours. Thicker as it cooled. Hope it comes out ok
These cookies were awesome!
Would browning the butter before adding the other ingredients make the butter separate or is it ok to do?
I would stick to the recipe; the butter takes on a browned-like flavor as it cooks on the stove.
Tried everything I knew of to get a round cookie including rolling them in my hand. Got every shape but round. Help
Hi Barb! This thin dough shouldn’t be thick enough to roll in your hands. Could the consistency be off for you? The video should be a helpful guide. Are they nice even circles going into the oven? That helps them stay in the round shape. If they’re not even circles, you can use a spoon to help shape the warm cookies back into a circle.
I love this recipe. Everything comes out like it should except the round part. I never get round cookies. Lol
If I wanted to add nuts or oats. When would I add those ingredients in? In the bowl or sprinkled on top?
Hi Tasha, you can certainly try adding oats or nuts if you’d like — we haven’t tested it so we’re unsure of the exact amount, but there are many recipes out there that do use those if you want to take a look!
Im very excited to bake these this holiday season! Is this a cookie that I can prep and then freeze for baking at a later time? I want to bake them closer to Christmas because I was to ensure that they will still have a crunch to them 🙂
Hi Yarissa, see recipe Notes for make ahead instructions. The batter isn’t the best for freezing, but you can freeze the baked cookies. You can also prepare the batter a few days in advance. Hope this helps and that the cookies are a hit!