Lace Cookies

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These thin and crispy Lace Cookies are an easy dessert, perfect for your Christmas cookie tray. They’re sweet, buttery caramels in crispy cookie form!

Old Fashioned Lace Cookies

Every bite of a lace cookie is like eating crispy cooked caramel. They’re so good and addicting for caramel fans! I just love how thin and dainty they are. This light dessert is perfect for those nights when you’re still full from dinner but want something sweet.

Lace cookies are made with simple ingredients – butter, sugar and few other things that vary depending on the recipe. This means you can make them on a whim without having to run to the grocery store. Better yet, they come together in half an hour. You seriously have to try these sweet caramel crisps!

A Pile of Crispy Caramel Cookies on a Granite Countertop

What Are Lace Cookies?

A lace cookie is a very thin, crispy cookie that gets its name from its see-through, lace-like appearance. Some recipes use oats or chopped almonds. This one sticks with just flour, but it uses a mix of all-purpose and almond flour.

Combining the two flours resulted in the best lace cookies. Using only all-purpose flour produced a thinner cookie that lacked texture and flavor. Using all almond flour gave inconsistent spreading results upon baking. The two mixed together were just right!

Recipe Ingredients

The ingredient lineup for this recipe couldn’t be simpler. Everything you need is probably already stocked in your kitchen!

  • Unsalted Butter
  • Packed Brown Sugar: Don’t use regular granulated sugar – it’ll brown, but it really lacks flavor. If you want that caramel-y taste, you need the brown sugar.
  • Milk: You could also use corn syrup, if desired. I made these cookies with both and didn’t notice a difference between them.
  • Vanilla Extract
  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Almond Flour
  • Salt
Lace Cookies Beside a Glass Bowl of Sliced Almonds

How to Make Lace Cookies

This recipe is refreshingly easy. All you need to do is make your batter over the stove, bake the cookies for up to 10 minutes and let them cool.

  1. Prepare for Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  2. Melt Butter & Sugar: In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and milk. Cook over low heat, stirring regularly, until butter and sugar have melted.
  3. Bring to Boil: Once the butter and sugar are melted, turn the heat up to medium and cook the mixture just until it begins to boil.
  4. Remove From Heat: Remove the mixture from the heat and add in the vanilla extract, flours and salt, stirring until completely combined.
  5. Let Sit: Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then drop by 1 1/2 teaspoons (half a tablespoon) onto the prepared cookie sheet. Space the cookies about 2-3 inches apart. They will spread quite a bit in the oven. The cookie dough mixture will thicken as it cools, but that won’t affect the outcome of the cookies.
  6. Bake: Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the cookies are golden in color. Keep an eye on them toward the end of baking because they can burn quickly.
  7. Let Cool: Allow the cookies to cool for 3-4 minutes, or until they’re firm enough to move, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Lace Cookies Arranged on a Surface with White Doileys and Almond Slices

Tips for the Best Lace Cookies

  • Don’t Make the Cookies Too Big: These cookies will spread out to become super thin as they bake, so be sure not to use more than 1 1/2 teaspoons of batter per cookie.
  • Don’t Over Bake: Watch your cookies carefully after they’ve been baking for 5 or 6 minutes. Because they’re so thin, they’ll burn very quickly if you leave them in the oven for too long. Once they turn a nice golden color, they’re good to go.
  • Use Real Butter: Avoid using margarine or another butter substitute for lace cookies. The butter is what gives them their thin, crisp texture.
  • Store in an airtight container: These cookies are best when fresh, but stay crisp and delicious for days. Just be sure to store them in an air tight container or they’ll soften.

How to Store These Cookies

Store your leftover lace cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh and crispy for up to a week. Let the cookies cool completely before storing them.

Lace Cookies Stacked on a White Counter with Almond Shavings

Can I Freeze Lace Cookies?

These cookies are freezer-friendly, too! Just freeze them in an airtight container, and they’ll last for up to 3 months. If you’d like, you can thaw them in the fridge and bring them to room temperature on the counter before serving.

Print
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A Single Lace Cookie Propped Up Against a Stack of More Cookies
Recipe

Lace Cookies

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 7 minutes
  • Total Time: 32 minutes
  • Yield: 40
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

These thin and crispy Lace Cookies are a quick and easy treat made with just 7 ingredients. They’re sweet, buttery caramels in crispy cookie form!


Ingredients

  • 6 tbsp (84g) unsalted butter 
  • 2/3 cup (150g) packed brown sugar 
  • 2 tbsp milk 
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract 
  • 1/3 cup (43g) all-purpose flour 
  • 1/2 cup (50g) almond flour 
  • 1/4 tsp salt 

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  2. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and milk. Cook over low heat, stirring regularly, until butter and sugar have melted.
  3. Once butter and sugar are melted, turn heat up to medium and cook mixture just until it begins to boil.
  4. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract, flours and salt, stirring until completely combined.
  5. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then drop by 1 1/2 teaspoons (half a tablespoon) onto prepared cookie sheet. Space cookies about 2-3 inches apart. The cookies will spread quite a bit in the oven. The cookie dough mixture will thicken as it cools, but that won’t affect the outcome of the cookies.
  6. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the cookies are golden in color. Keep an eye on them towards the end of baking because they can burn quickly.
  7. Allow cookies to cool for 3-4 minutes or until they are firm enough to move, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Notes

Store lace cookies in an airtight container. They should stay fresh and crispy for 5-7 days.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 40
  • Sugar: 3.3 g
  • Sodium: 16.1 mg
  • Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 4.4 g
  • Protein: 0.4 g
  • Cholesterol: 4.6 mg

Categories

More Christmas Cookies to Try

More Caramel Recipes to Try:

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I'm a wife and a mom to twin boys and a baby girl! And I've got a serious sweets addiction! Bring on the treats!

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29