I found a recipe for Chinese Almond cookies in a 1914 cookbook.
I think this is one of the best versions I have ever tried; they are made with rice flour and have a nice sandy texture. They are also gluten-free and dairy-free
Ingredients
2 cups (320 g) rice flour + a little extra to form the cookies
1/4 cup (50 g) almond oil
1/2 cup (50 g) almonds, blanched
1-1/2 cups (180 g) confectioners’ sugar
2 eggs
To decorate: 10-12 almonds, blanched and split in half + 1 yolk mixed with 1/2 tbsp water
Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C)
Place the almonds, rice flour, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until the almonds are chopped very fine. Add the almond oil and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the eggs and process briefly, until a soft dough forms.
Sprinkle some rice flour on a wooden board and roll small amounts of dough into balls about the size of a small walnut.
Press the balls with the bottom of a glass (floured), then brush with egg wash and place a split almond in the center.
Alternatively, you can roll the dough 1/4-inch (0.6 cm) thick, then cut the cookies with a round cookie-cutter.
Bake the cakes on baking sheets for 1 hour, making sure the oven temperature is not higher than 325°F (160°C)
Let the cakes cool on racks and store in an airtight container
