Panko Cookies

If you want a cookie that covers all of the textural bases, then this vintage recipe for Panko Cookies is one to make. This unusual addition creates a cookie that’s both chewy, moist, and crunchy all in one bite. 

Panko is not an ingredient we use in our desserts, but in this recipe, panko gets to see the sweeter side of the kitchen. After the butter and powdered sugar are creamed together, almond and vanilla extracts are added, followed by the flour and panko. Make sure you are using plain, unseasoned panko; we don’t want a sweet-savory sort of deal going on here.

The dough is divided, rolled, flattened, and baked until the edges are just starting to brown. After the cookies have cooled, they get tossed in powdered sugar for a nice snowy effect.

What are the results? Sheer magic. Seriously, there’s a level of sorcery going on in the depths of these cookies. On the outside, these cookies look unassuming, similar to your holiday snowball or wedding cookies, but when you take a bite, you’ll understand that these Panko Cookies are quite different.

Using powdered sugar as the sweetener in the cookie dough gives you that melt-away, delicate touch, while the simple addition of flour and no egg gives you a sturdy but soft shortbread vibe.

The black horse of the cookies—the panko—does many things. It adds crunch to the cookies without drying them out. It always adds a tiny bit of air into the cookies, giving them an additional light and delicate texture. 

Panko Cookies cover chewy, crispy, tender, and melt-away all in one bite; they might become a regular in your home!

Makes: 24 cookies
Estimated WW Points: ~3 Points per cookie*

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 4 tablespoons light butter, softened
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
• Pinch of salt

For the garnish:

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, beat the softened light butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
3. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
4. Add the flour, panko breadcrumbs, and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms.
5. Roll the dough into 24 small balls and place them on the baking sheet.
6. Gently flatten each cookie with the bottom of a glass.
7. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
8. Let the cookies cool completely.
9. Lightly dust with the 2 tablespoons powdered sugar.

Tip: Keeping the powdered sugar garnish very light makes a surprisingly big difference in the points while still giving them that classic Panko Cookie look.