Perfect Almond Flour Cookies

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ELIZABETH

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Healthy Almond Flour Cookies stacked by Elizabeth Rider

These easy almond flour cookies are the perfect treat for any occasion!

I’ve been writing and baking almond flour recipes for over a decade and have tested every method to make the best almond flour cookies. This recipe makes a fantastic plain base, or you can add frosting, sprinkles, or chocolate chips to turn them into a seasonal treat.

Almond flour cookies are not only delicious and made with just 5 ingredients, but they are also gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and higher in protein than traditional flour cookies.

Made with just 5 simple ingredients, these cookies are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth without the guilt or gluten.

Almond Flour Cookie Ingredients:

  • 2 cups almond flour (not almond meal)
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup (or honey; use maple to keep these vegan if desired)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or butter, or your favorite cooking oil)
  • 2 teaspoons high-quality vanilla extract (or almond extract or any extract, or you can omit it)
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (not baking powder)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt or fine-grain sea salt (I use Real Salt)

This recipe works with other nut flours, such as hazelnut flour. It does not work with regular wheat or all-purpose flour.

Savings on Ingredients:

I buy my almond flour, olive oil, salt, and other healthy pantry staples at Thrive Market, an online healthy grocery that cuts out the middlemen to give us the best prices. Here’s my partner link for 40% off your first order if you’d like to use it.

Almond Flour Cookies Recipe by Elizabeth Rider

Instructions:

See the full recipe and tips in the printable recipe card below:

  1. Preheat and Mix: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a mixing bowl, gently combine almond flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Make a well in the center and add vanilla, maple syrup (or honey), and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until a dough ball forms.
  2. Chill: To make rolling easier, place the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator overnight.
  3. Roll and Cut: Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper (not wax paper) to ¼ inch thick. Remove the top sheet and use a cookie cutter to cut out cookies, leaving at least ¼ inch between each. Alternatively, you can use your hands to press and shape into ¼-inch thick 1-to-2-inch round cookies if you don’t want to bother with rolling them out. They are prettier when rolled, but shaping them with your hands also works.
  4. Bake: Discard the top sheet of parchment. Transfer the parchment paper with the cookies to a baking sheet. Bake for 6-9 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
  5. Cool and Enjoy: Let the cookies cool on the counter for 10-30 minutes. Serve plain, dipped in chocolate, or frosted with vegan vanilla buttercream for a sugar cookie taste.

Cooking Temperature & Time

Bake these cookies at 350°F (180°C) for 6-10 minutes until just golden brown around the edges. All ovens vary, so check them at 6 minutes. My oven takes around 8-9 minutes.

I do not recommend using the convection setting with these cookies. Convection cooking uses a fan to circulate air and thus cook things faster. In my experience, this method dries out this almond flour cookie recipe. For best results, bake at 350°F (180°C) on a regular bake setting.

Variations:

  • Seasonal: Use seasonal sprinkles, frosting, or chocolate chips to change up your cookies depending on the season.
  • Sprinkles: Use festive sprinkles or decorator sugar that match the occasion or season. If using sprinkles or sugar, add them before baking so they stick.
  • Frosting: Frosting these cookies reminds me of a traditional sugar cookie. You can use vegan vanilla buttercream or any frosting recipe you prefer.
  • Chocolate chips: This recipe can accommodate up to 1 cup of added chocolate chips if desired.
  • Dipped: Melt chocolate and dip or drizzle the cookies for a fun variation. You can see how I do that here.
  • Buttery and/or brown sugar variation: For a buttery variation of these almond flour cookies, check out these Almond Flour Christmas Cookies. You can easily change up the sprinkles or omit them to fit any occasion. The main difference is that the buttery version uses more butter (or oil) and brown sugar because if you use brown sugar or white sugar, you’ll need more butter or oil to bind the cookies. The recipe below uses maple syrup or honey, which helps bind the cookies without needing more oil or the addition of eggs. Both recipes are fantastic.
5 ingredient Almond Flour Cookies Recipe Elizabeth Rider
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Healthy Almond Flour Cookies stacked by Elizabeth Rider

Perfect Almond Flour Cookies

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  • Author: Elizabeth Rider
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 50-60 minutes (with chill time)
  • Yield: 12 Cookies 1x
  • Category: Cookies, Almond Flour
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Make this delicious Almond Flour Cookies recipe. With just 5 ingredients, they’re gluten-free, easy, and perfect for a healthy treat. This recipe makes 12 (2-inch) round cookies.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 cups almond flour (not almond meal)
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup (or honey; use maple to keep these vegan if desired)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or butter, or your favorite cooking oil)
  • 2 teaspoons high-quality vanilla extract (or almond extract or any extract, or you can omit it)
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (not baking powder)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt or fine sea salt (I use Real Salt)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Mix: Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180°C). In a mixing bowl, gently combine almond flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Make a well in the center and add vanilla, maple syrup (or honey), and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until a dough ball forms.
  2. Chill: To make rolling easier, place the dough in the refrigerator, covered, for 30-90 minutes, or overnight. (Or, in the freezer for 15 minutes or i
  3. Roll and Cut: Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper (not wax paper) to ¼ inch thick. Remove the top sheet and use a cookie cutter to cut out cookies, leaving at least ¼ inch between each.
  4. Bake: Discard the top sheet of parchment. Transfer the parchment paper with the cookies to a baking sheet. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
  5. Cool and Enjoy: Let the cookies cool on the counter for 10-30 minutes. Serve plain, dipped in chocolate, or frosted with vegan vanilla buttercream for a sugar cookie taste if desired.

Store at room temperature, covered, for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Freezes well.


Notes

Tips:

  • Almond flour: This recipe uses almond flour instead of traditional wheat flour, making the cookies gluten-free and higher in protein. The dough can be sticky, so keep it chilled.
  • Rolling out the dough: Roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper (not wax paper) to prevent sticking. Cut out your cookies and leave them on the bottom layer of parchment paper for easy transfer to the baking sheet. Alternatively, you can use your hands to press and shape into ¼-inch thick 1-to-2-inch round cookies if you don’t want to bother with rolling them out. They are prettier when rolled, but shaping them with your hands also works.
  • Oven temperature: Bake at 350ºF. I do not use convection for these cookies because it tends to dry them out.
  • Binding the dough: The maple syrup or honey helps bind the dough. Avoid replacing the liquid sweetener with a dry sweetener. If you want to use a dry sweetener such as brown sugar or white sugar, then I suggest the Almond Flour Christmas Cookies recipe.
  • Extra virgin olive oil: The oil helps bind the cookies and prevents sticking. Use a delicate-tasting olive oil, or substitute with organic avocado oil, coconut oil, or your favorite healthy cooking oil
  • Get creative: Customize your cookies with different shapes and toppings for any occasion. Add sprinkles or frosting if desired.

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  1. Claudia says:

    They look delicious! I really need to try them, I love sweets but I am a terrible baker!

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