Authentic Portuguese Spiced Cookies with Cinnamon and Almonds

These delightful Portuguese cinnamon cookies are a true celebration of traditional flavours, the combination of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves creates an aromatic cookie that’s perfectly balanced with the subtle sweetness of honey and the caramel from the brown sugar. What makes these cookies truly special is their rustic, homemade charm, they’re crispy on the outside with a tender spiced crumb that melts in your mouth.

This recipe is particularly perfect for São Martinho (Saint Martin’s Day) celebrations in Portugal, a beloved autumn tradition where families gather to roast chestnuts and share these types of seasonal treats. The warm spices echo the cosy feeling of this traditional Portuguese holiday, making your kitchen smell absolutely divine. While the traditional recipe doesn’t include the almond on top, I personally love almonds, they add such a wonderful crunch and nutty flavour that complements the cookies and spices beautifully!

Honestly, while these cookies are traditional for Saint Martin’s celebrations, they’re so delicious that I find myself making them throughout the year, also like in Easter hehehe. They’re perfect with afternoon coffee, as a sweet ending to dinner, or whenever you want to bring a little Portuguese tradition into your home. The recipe is wonderfully simple, and the results are always impressive… let’s give it a try? ;D

Authentic Portuguese Spiced Cookies with Cinnamon and Almonds

Servings: 12
Time: 45mins
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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These are must try biscuits/cookies, they are super rustic with a very nice spiced creamy interior and crunchy exterior, whats not to love! ;D

Ingredients

Flour – 110g
Cinnamon – 1 Teaspoon
Baking Powder – 1 Teaspoon
Brown Sugar – 2 Tablespoons
Honey – 2 Tablespoons
Butter – 50g
Cumin – A Pinch
Cloves – A Pinch
Nutmeg – A Pinch
Almonds – +/- 12 (1 per Cookie)
Salt – A Pinch

Directions

This recipe is super simple. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, brown sugar, honey, butter, cumin, cloves, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Mix everything well until you have a smooth mixture and a ball of dough.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Take pieces of dough, shape them into balls, add an almond on top, place them on the baking sheet, and bake for about 12 minutes until golden brown. That’s it! Bon appétit and Happy Saint Martin’s Day!

Notes: The dough should be soft but not sticky. If it feels too dry, add a tiny bit more honey; if too wet, add a pinch more flour.

The dough can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Just bring it to room temperature before shaping and baking.

Feel free to adjust the spices to your taste. Some families add a bit more cinnamon or skip the cumin altogether.

If you don’t have whole almonds, you can use sliced almonds or even pine nuts for a different twist.

The original Portuguese recipe often uses “açúcar amarelo” (yellow sugar), which is similar to light brown sugar. This gives the cookies their characteristic colour and subtle molasses flavour, but you can one up and use Mascavado sugar or dark brown sugar as well.

These cookies keep well in an airtight container for up to a week, though they’re best enjoyed within the first few days.

This recipe for Authentic Portuguese Spiced Cookies with Cinnamon and Almonds was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Biscoitos de Canela e Amêndoa foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.